Samah (not her real name) is a 10-year-old girl living in a displaced persons camp in northern Gaza. Her father passed away years ago, leaving her mother as the sole caregiver of her and six siblings. Because of the conflict, Samah and her family were forced to flee their home in Jabalia and endure repeated displacements, leaving them without stability or security. Samah was left fearful, withdrawn, and cut off from her education and friends. She had difficulty sleeping, avoided playing, and became isolated.
Fortunately for Samah, her mother found and enrolled her in a program supported by IOCC that offers remedial education, group counseling sessions, extracurricular activities, and healthy snacks to Gaza’s school-aged children. Through this program, Samah was able to further her education in mathematics, science, Arabic, and English, and receive the care she needed to address the emotional toll of the conflict.
“I feel stronger now. I’m not the same scared girl anymore. I am learning, I have friends again, and I believe I can be a teacher one day,” Samah said. Through this program, young people like Samah are being given the chance to learn again, to heal, and to find some stability amid the disruption to their lives.
