The Hands Up Project school in Cairo was first started by Donna Campbell, who planted the seeds of this special learning space during her time in Egypt. Her work laid a foundation of care, creativity, and connection that continues to grow.

Another special person who has made a big impact is Brooke. She has visited the school many times, bringing joy, kindness, and much-needed supplies to the children. Whether playing games, lending a helping hand, or simply spending time with the students, Brooke’s presence has been a source of warmth and support. Her dedication reminds us that small acts of compassion can create lasting memories and real change.

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A Bridge of Stories, A Journey of Hearts by Manuela & Lamya Some stories begin not in the classroom, but in the quiet spaces of kindness. That’s how I met Lamya not as a fellow teacher, but as a sister in compassion. Later, we met again — this time, around a Zoom screen. Lamya was supporting her girls in a project with Haneen and the British Council. I was only there to guide them gently through a couple of rehearsals. They needed very little. Their talent and preparation were already shining through. Still, it felt like something had taken root between us. So when Lamya and I spoke about bringing storytelling into her class in Hebron, it felt completely natural. Like picking up a thread we had already begun to weave.

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In a Gaza school now used as a shelter, teacher Sahar is leading a powerful initiative called From Zero to Hero. Three times a week, she gathers with displaced children to learn, play, and write — creating a safe, hopeful space in the middle of hardship.

These sessions are about more than education. They are about healing, expression, and resilience. Through storytelling, games, and creative writing, children are reminded that their voices still matter, even when everything around them feels uncertain.

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At the Hands Up Project, link-up sessions aren’t just classes—they’re windows into worlds. Over the past weeks, our incredible volunteers and Palestinian teachers have turned screens into spaces of laughter, learning, and cross-cultural magic. Here’s a glimpse of the joy unfolding:

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Building Bridges with Words: Our Inspiring Partnership with the Hands Up Project

At Inspired Kids and Inspired CPD, we believe in the power of connection and the transformative potential of creative expression. For us, it isn’t just about learning English. That's why our partnership with the Hands Up Project has been such a rewarding journey, enriching the lives of our students in Taiwan in profound ways.

Our collaboration has blossomed into a vibrant exchange of creativity and understanding. From the heartfelt poems penned by our students in "Together on Golden Sands" to the engaging remote theatre and poetry sessions that some of them took part in, as well as the dynamic drama-infused summer and winter camps, our collaboration has opened up new worlds for our young learners.

Therefore, "Together on Golden Sands" is more than just ink on paper; it's a testament to the bridges built through language and imagination. Within its pages, the voices of young Taiwanese children resonate, demonstrating the incredible capacity of foreign language learning to foster a genuine connection with the wider world. These poems offer a unique window into experiences far removed from their own, nurturing empathy and a deeper understanding of different perspectives.

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Pilgrimage for Palestine hit London Parliament Square on a hot 30th March at 2pm. There was amazement and some tears as we paused in Hyde Park, after thirteen days of walking, talking, poetry, generous hosts, massive support, huge donations, canals, rivers, injury, iftar, mild disagreement, rapture, waking every day at 3.30am.

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’ve just returned from the National Education Union’s annual conference in Harrogate in the north of England, where the Hands up Project had a stall selling our books, showcasing our new exhibition ‘Oh big blue’, and encouraging teachers to get involved in our work.

One of the topics that was hotly debated at the conference was how inspection bodies like Ofsted place very little emphasis on creativity when they are inspecting schools, instead only looking at exam results and achieving targets and aims for each term.

At the Hands up Project, in contrast, we’ve always placed a huge amount of value on the creative work of our children, and we’ve always done our best to share this work as widely as possible. We do this because we know that creativity is such an important element in learning a language, but also because we know that it boosts the children’s self esteem so much to know that their work is being seen, heard and read.

Yesterday morning we did a live link to our educational space in Cairo and teachers at the conference were able to meet some of our Palestinian children there, and hear them read their poems.

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On April 6, 2025, I took part in Our Time to Break Silence—a public reading of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence. The program was held at Monroe Street United Methodist Church in Toledo. I served as chair of the storytelling committee and represented The Hands Up Project.

But what moved me most was curating the art exhibition Moon, Tell Me Truth.

The exhibition featured stories, poems, and short plays created by young people in Gaza. These pieces were written during the current genocide. Some told of fear. Some of love. Many carried questions no child should have to ask. But all of them reached for something higher—hope, dignity, truth.

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