Last August, I joined the Social Developmental Forum (SDF) as a teacher. I have been displaced from Gaza City, and I currently live in Deir Al-Balah. Since leaving Gaza in November, I have been overwhelmed by a sense of alienation; despite this estrangement of having to live in a place where I don’t belong, I […]
Internally Displaced People have been facing escalated crises, beyond the confines of their makeshift tents or “displacement centers”. Sanitation is a pressing issue in displacement that exacerbates the plights of IDPs; recurring overflowing sewage to streets, camps, and schools heavily affects areas such as Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis, sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced […]
Thirteen-year-old Ghazal Al-Sultan lives in a tent-like all Internally Displaced People in the Gaza Strip. Her life mirrors the monotonous and exhausting routine of displacement until she finally joined a Safe Learning Space, established by the Social Developmental Forum in the “Together For Palestine 3” camp in Deir Al-Balah. Ghazal was a seventh-grade student before […]
From being surrounded by family and friends and actively engaged in community service to enduring the pain of displacement and loss. Aya’s story is this of all Palestinians who have been struggling over a year of genocide in Gaza. Yet, her voice, persistence, and pursuit amid the hardships, are remarkable! Recently, 22-year-old Aya finished her […]
Since the onset of the war, northern Gaza has endured uniquely challenging harsh conditions, surpassing the struggles faced by other governorates. The severe water shortage has become a fundamental struggle for those who couldn’t or didn’t forcibly leave to the South. Khaled Hamdan, a member of the Social Developmental Forum’s Youth Network, used to be […]
Being displaced means enduring daily-basis challenges and lacking a normal lifestyle. For women and girls, the challenges are even harder. Despite their efforts to remain resilient, the situation is just getting harder. Isra Qaoud is a 25-year-old displaced woman, who strives to challenge stereotypes through active participation in community initiatives and contributing to various activities […]
A patriotic Palestinian song “We swear to Allah, we will never leave” echoes through a large displacement camp in the heart of Deir Al-Balah, drawing attention to an intriguing scene: young men gathering near their tents in the large yard by the camp entrance, watching a group of children, holding hands and learning the Palestinian […]
Salman Saadi Mortaja is a Palestinian displaced elderly, currently sheltered in a tent in Al Mawasi aread in Khan Younis, which the Israeli Occupational Forces (IOF) has repeatedly so considered to be a “safe humanitarian zone”. Alongside dozens of other families, Mortaja lives in a displacement camp, facing a dire situation with the scarcity of […]
Basma Mohammed Marzouq Al-Sha’er is a Palestinian from Rafah, southern Gaza, who has endured repeated and challenging displacement ordeals. She ended up in a tent provided by the Social Developmental Forum (SDF) and ShelterBox in a large displacement camp in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis. Basma finished her bachelor’s degree years ago. She has a physical disability, while […]
Despite the ongoing war and critical challenges of displacement and siege, SDF’s Youth Network (SYN) is determined to lead impactful actions that foster youth engagement and resilience. Recently, SYN launched the “Girls’ Tent” initiative, targeting displaced girls and women in northern Gaza. This initiative is one of the thematic interventions under SDF’s national relief response […]
