Paul Calvert spoke with Yazan Adnan Al-Zubaidy, the Programme Director of Red Noses Palestine.

Yazan: Yes for sure. Mainly we are working on the psychological part of sickness and it is proved that laughter is one of the best medicines that people need. For sick kids who are taking chemotherapy, it's painful and takes energy out of them. So when we go and see kids crying and not wanting to take the medicine, our clowns go in the room and the kids start to laugh and then they take their medicine or they eat. The human part of doing this thing is beyond expectation. When you see a smile on a child's face, it's an amazing thing.

Paul: Are the doctors seeing the benefits as well?

Yazan: Yes. Mainly the people who are around us are the nurses, so yes they see the benefits. They also wait for us to come and help and sometimes the doctors and nurses start to play with our clowns.

Paul: So when you go into a hospital is every child different and do they all have different needs?

Yazan: Yes, it depends on their case. Our work is not based as a show, it's more personal interaction with the kids. We can't say, "This is what we do", it's more like, "This is the character of the clowns". They give each child his or her own time and they make them laugh. They make them play and then they move to another child.

Paul: How many hospitals do you go to?

Yazan: We are going into four hospitals. Those are in East Jerusalem, Bethlehem/Beit Jala, Ramallah and Hebron. In these we are visiting around 100 kids per month, but we have plans to expand to the north, especially Nablus and Jenin. That depends on the funds though.

Paul: Are you also able to get into Gaza at the moment?

Yazan: At the moment no, but we would like to go to Gaza. Lots of people are sending us messages and emails that they want us to be in Gaza, but we can't promise anything at the moment.

Paul: Why do you do what you do?

Yazan: Because it feels this is the right thing to do. Having a smile is one of the most important things and kids are not supposed to suffer. We are all humans and everybody should laugh. Our vision is to bring joy and laughter for sick and suffering people.

Paul: What's your website for people who would like to know more?

Yazan: It's www.rednoses.ps and we are on all the social media as well, so you can follow us.