Irish artists Elaine Mai, MayKay, and Faye O’Rourke have collaborated with a number of young Palestinian refugees who are currently living in the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, in the Occupied West Bank of Palestine, to write and record the single "We Are."
Rand Salah Ajarma (17), Rawand Salah Ajarma (11), Reem Mohammad Ikhlayel (15), Sara Anan Ghabbash (15), Omar Naser Al-Azraq (17), Ahmad Iyad Abu Yabes (17), and Qusai Mohammad Al Khawaja (12) collaborated with the trio of Irish artists for the song which is now for sale on Bandcamp.
The group also released an accompanying music video featuring the song's lyrics on Tuesday, October 15.
All income from royalties and purchases and streams of "We Are" will go directly to the Lajee Centre in the Aida Refugee Camp.
There is also a campaign associated with the single release for people to make donations directly to the Lajee Centre, whose mission is to provide refugee youth and women with cultural, educational, social, and developmental opportunities.
Mary-Kate Geraghty, aka MayKay, who has spent time volunteering with the Lajee Center and worked on the recording with Rand, Rawand, Reem, Sara, Omar, Ahmad, and Qusai on-the-ground at the Aida Refugee Camp, said: “I’ve spent some time in the amazing Lajee Center in Aida Refugee Camp in the Occupied West Bank of Palestine.
"Despite the best efforts of the occupation forces to suppress, depress and break the spirits of the young people in the camp, they are made of resilience, joy, steeliness, and humour.
“Working with this group of young people was the honour of a lifetime.
"When Elaine sent me some tracks to listen to from her new record it felt like a great opportunity to have their voices, their language, their strength, their joy, and their power on a record being released in Ireland, that will hopefully echo throughout the forests and fields of festivals and clubs for years to come and remind us all what’s important in this world.
"I recorded them in the centre itself and honestly, they were unbelievably easy to work with, considering it was their first time writing lyrics and recording.
"There’s nothing they can’t do. I can’t wait to see them all again.”
May Kay during a songwriting workshop with the younger class in the Lajee Centre.
Elaine Mai says: “Despite the relentless efforts of the occupation forces to silence and demoralize them, the voices of the children heard on 'We Are' are full of joy, resilience, and undeniable power.
"Every stream and purchase of the track goes directly to the Lajee Center, where these children live in the occupied West Bank of Palestine. Saoirse don Phalaistín.”
Faye O’Rourke (Soda Blonde) says: “As the Israeli government continues its genocide against the Palestinian people, the voices of the children from the Lajee Centre stand as a powerful testament to their strength, resilience, and unwavering spirit.
"It’s a privilege to be a small part in amplifying their voices and sharing their message of hope with the world."
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