Led and driven by youth: Launching the first phase of the Youth Hub Initiatives in Gaza
The Youth Hub, an initiative by the Social Developmental Forum (SDF) in the Gaza Strip, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has officially launched the first phase of its community-based youth initiatives. These efforts focus on community and health awareness, education, the promotion of community safety, support for internally displaced persons, and emergency response.
The initiatives were designed and led by a group of young men and women who previously received intensive training by a team of specialized facilitators. This training took place under the Youth Hub Capacity Building Project, which aims to empower displaced youth and inspire them to take on meaningful roles in their communities.
Youth Empowerment to Face Challenges
These initiatives are part of a comprehensive intervention aimed at strengthening the resilience of marginalized and displaced communities in the Gaza Strip. This responsive and pioneering model of youth-led action during emergencies aspire to enable young people to contribute to peacebuilding and promote community safety within the framework of the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda and to enhance social cohesion through sustainable community interventions.
10 impactful youth initiatives:
The first phase of these initiatives took place last June, featuring a set of ten diverse youth-led community projects that will continue until the end of the year.
Project Coordinator Yasmeen Muhanna notes that “a second phase is expected to expand implementation, including an additional 30 initiatives.”
Muhanna highlights that these initiatives represent a valuable opportunity for youth to utilize the skills they acquired through the training, serving as a first step toward transformative change within their communities, raising awareness, and supporting displaced community in the Gaza Strip.
Locally rooted and context-sensitive initiatives
The initiatives focus on key themes such as mental health, health education, cultural empowerment, and the arts as a tool of expression, with a particular emphasis on reaching the most marginalized, including girls, children, and persons with disabilities. The first ten youth-led initiatives under the Youth Hub include:
- Cycle of existence: A health awareness initiative for adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene and personal care.
- Screened awareness: An interactive psychological activity for children to combat bullying through film screenings and games.
- Knowledge league (your life-worth awareness): A cultural competition initiative on reproductive health and personal hygiene for adolescents.
- Compassion space: An initiative supporting breastfeeding mothers in displacement camps, offering stress-relieving crochet sessions.
- Cheer your dream: An artistic awareness initiative using theatre and painting to educate girls on their rights, indirectly adressing early marriage.
- Memory journal: An initiative promoting mental well-being and cultural belonging for girls through interactive journaling, storytelling, and dabkeh sessions.
- Needle and identity: Using Palestinian embroidery to provide psychosocial support for displaced girls.
- We plant hope and paint life: A youth-led initiative to transform displacement camps into colorful, humane spaces through art and creativity.
- A space to breathe: A mental health support initiative for the SDF’s youth network through stress-relief and debriefing sessions.
- My space: A creative activity for children to build their “dream house” as a safe space for imagination and self-expression.
Joy, engagement, and youth Leadership at Gaza’s Youth Hub
Field visits during the implementation of the Youth Hub initiatives revealed a meaningful impact on the target groups, especially adolescents and young girls. Many participants shared positive reflections about their engagement in the initiatives.
Siham Mahmoud Saqr (15 years old), who participated in the “Cycle of Existence” initiative at Bashir Al-Raees displacement camp, described the activity as “beautiful, effective, and beneficial,” extending her gratitude to the dedicated youth volunteers—especially the young women—who helped deliver knowledge in a simple and accessible way to their peers.
Sally Hammouda (15 years old) as well, shared: “I really enjoyed it and learned not to feel ashamed around others because of my period. Please come visit us every day.”
Youth reflections:
The initiatives went far beyond traditional programming; they created deep human connections, which the participating youth expressed with pride and enthusiasm. They highlighted the impact of these efforts—both on the community and on their own personal growth.
Rula Ashour (20 years old), a volunteer at the “Screened awareness” initiative, described her engagement as transformational, recognising the role of art in sparking change. She said: “This was one of the initiatives that made me recognize the butterfly effect. Through cinema, theatre, and painting, we were able to convey to children an important message about bullying. It was such a smart way to approach them and enhance their awareness and.”
The “Knowledge League” initiative created a space for both learning and joy. Sharif Saleh (25 years old), one of the initiative’s facilitators, noted: “This was a cultural and health-focused initiative filled with interactive and meaningful activities. It engaged boys and girls alike, and everyone was excited to see which team would win. It was a success, and I’m proud of everyone’s efforts.”
Imad Bdeir (21 years old) highlighted the initiative’s long-lasting effect on children: “Knowledge League wasn’t just an initiative—it was something truly special. It energized the children, helped them release their emotions, and engaged them in a way they’ll never forget. I’m truly happy to have been part of this amazing experience.”
Ahmad Fareed Zaqout (23 years old) reflected on the human dimension of engaging in the We plant hope and paint life”, which aimed to beautify displacement camps and spread hope through art: “In the midst of pain and destruction, we chose to plant hope and colour life. Our humanitarian initiative amplified voices exhausted by war. We believe that colour makes a difference and hope never dies if someone believes in it.”
Farah Hisham Al-Helo (23 years old), displaced at the camp, offered a raw reflection: “We can’t romanticize being displaced in a tent. We are forced to be displaced here. We just try to enhance the visual appearance of the camp through bright colours and uplifting drawings. But even under the harsh conditions of war, we devoted art to spread hope and sense of belonging.”
A wider Impact
Following the successful launch of the first phase of the Youth Hub initiatives—many of which are still ongoing—the second phase is set to be launched soon. It will include an open call for inclusive youth-led initiatives that reach broader audiences, with direct financial and technical support provided through the Initiatives Bank platform. Additional components will include mentoring sessions and a dedicated system for evaluating the feasibility and the outputs of each initiative.
The next phase will specifically focus on targeting the most marginalized groups, especially persons with disabilities (e.g. amputees), while also promoting youth leadership, civic engagement, and efforts to reach over 3,000 displaced community members.
About the Youth Hub
The Youth Hub is a flexible and inclusive space established by the Social Developmental Forum (SDF) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). It was established to strengthen the role of Palestinian youth, particularly during emergency to lead recovery and development.
The Hub provides a space for training, grassroots initiatives, and networking, functioning as a catalyst for community-based youth leadership capable of creating meaningful change.
This experience reaffirms that Palestinian youth—even under the harshest of conditions—possess the capacity to act, to inspire, and to maintain hope. These initiatives stand as living proof of a youth force that does not yield to despair—but instead, creates life from beneath the rubble.