Longing for School vs. Learning in a Tent; Ghazal Al-Sultan, a story of hope and resilience 

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 the war and the prolonged displacement disrupted her education. But now, she lives in the “Resilience” camp, known as “Abdul Rahman Abu Jmeiza”. For months, she didn’t study, her days revolved around fetching water, washing dishes, and enduring the tiresome daily routine shared by women and girls in Gaza.

An Exhausting Displacement Journey

Like many others, Ghazal’s family endured pressing hardships during the war. Initially, they remained in northern Gaza, but eventually, they evacuated to a school there following evacuation orders from the Israeli Occupational Forces. However, the escalated situation forced them to flee to another school before escaping south under heavy tanks and artillery airstrikes.

The family barely reached Al Nuseirat camp in the middle area, where they “sheltered” for several months. Later, they moved to Rafah evacuating from a camp near the “Netzarim” area, which wasn’t their last wave of displacement; they were eventually forced, along with hundreds of thousands of others, to evacuate Rafah, fleeing once again to Deir Al-Balah.

Amidst soaring prices, Ghazal has been surviving through having food provided by charities. Her daily routine revolves around standing in long queues to fetch desalinated water containers and helping her mother with laundry, and chores of the tent. 

Back to Education

“I’ve been studying in the Safe Learning Space for a month and a half. The atmosphere is supportive, and the teachers are very resourceful and patient” Ghazal says. SDF established this space as part of its partnership with UNICEF under the Youth Networks Collaborating Towards Enhanced Educational and Well-being Opportunities for Children and Adolescents project. Ghazal studies Arabic, mathematics, English, and general science. Teachers combine academic content with oriented extracurricular activities to facilitate children’s engagement and understanding.”

“The SLS is different; it is a warm atmosphere where we participate in interactive activities, educational sessions, and weekly open days,’ she says, viewing the teachers not as service providers, but rather, as passionate leaders who significantly contribute to the children in the space.

Attending the SLS has transformed Ghazal’s displacement experience. The monotonous daily routine has been brightened by regular visits to the SLS, where she meets classmates and makes new friends, adding a sense of community engagement to her plate.

Since I started attending the SLS, my life has changed. I spend a different time in my classes, learning and doing my assignments, spending some time with the educational materials. Before being enrolled in the SLS, I used to be alone, with nothing to do but shelter chores. I have two sisters and two brothers, and we collaborate to fetch water and wash dishes.

Ghazal Al-Sultan

Ghazal speaks fondly of the teachers: “I feel they’re like family, not just teachers,” attributing this to their understanding of the children’s struggles and their efforts to revitalize their education. They are mindful of the psychological toll the war has taken over the past 14 months.

She praises her Arabic teacher Islam Naji, saying, “She’s the best teacher, and I feel she is as close as a mother to all of us.” Ghazal also admires teacher Adnan’s “excellent teaching style”.

Longing for School

Ghazal found learning in Safe Learning Space inconvenient, typically a well-designed educational tent. “I couldn’t easily understand the concept of an educational tent,” she says. Yet, the experience was transformational; moving between her tent and other camps to arrive at the educational space, where she learns and engages with other children. Previously, Ghazal attended “Al-Firdaws School” in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, which she longs to return to. For her, learning in a school is far better than learning in a tent.

“I miss school, my teachers, and my friends there. I wish I could go back to school. It’s so way better than learning in a tent. The occupation invaded my school in Gaza, but it’s still standing. Inshallah, we’ll return to it and be there soon,” she concludes.