Undisplacable Dreams: The Story of Ayah al‑Zayan at the SDF’s Youth Hub
My name is Aya al‑Zayan. The war has deprived me of so many things. However, I still strive to maintain hope through seeking new opportunities.
The 24-year-old young woman, originally from Jabalia Camp in North Gaza, was on the verge of completing her undergraduate degree in October 2023. However, the Israeli genocide caused a total blackout of electricity and internet across the Strip. Forced to abandon her home—her sole source of safety— Aya and her family complied with IOF orders to relocate to the south. This displacement compelled them to live in a makeshift tent and to relocate repeatedly in search of safety.
Before the war, Aya’s life had been relatively stable: “We had food, drink, and clean water—our most basic rights. I used to go to my university classes, and my priority was getting my degree done. I started networking to look for opportunities with local organizations. However, the reality is different: our priorities have become finding food and fuel, collecting firewood, and queuing for water”.
Despite these hardships, Aya remained determined to continue her education. As a sociology and social work student at Al‑Aqsa University, she scoured for spaces with electricity and internet access—often walking long distances to charge her phone, the only device through which she could follow her studies.
In May 2025, Aya seized the opportunity to join the SDF’s Youth Hub capacity-building program, implemented in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Amid the dark challenges, this programme sparked hope in her life, she said.
As part of the Youth Hub training, Aya learned how to lead “peer education” sessions, a component that aims to raise youth awareness of sexual and reproductive health, gender‑based violence, and to empower them to conduct awareness-raising workshops for their peers.
Aya says, “I’ve become part of the SDF’s youth network. I saw the call for applications on the SDF’s Instagram page and was eager to become part of this community. Even though I received the selection notification while being displaced, I was very excited. I wanted to actively engage in the SDF’s network and to increase my knowledge and skill set.”
Through the capacity-building program, she learned about sexual and reproductive health and peer education skills. One of the key highlights was understanding the types of gender‑based violence and how she can respond or report accordingly. She also learned how to support women, girls, and other marginalized groups, and to raise their awareness about protection matters.
The training had significantly improved her peer‑education skills: it sharpened her ability to convey information in a simple, smooth, and effective manner, enabling her to connect more effectively with the audience and help them put what they learned into practice.
Despite the destruction and harsh conditions, Gaza’s youth continue to write new chapters of hope and determination. The war hasn’t stopped them— rather, it inspires them to foster their engagement in community development.
Aya is a role model of the impact of investing in protecting and empowering young people. Through her participation in the “Protecting and Empowering Adolescents and Youth in Gaza” project, she was not a passive recipient of information but became part of a youth‑led movement for change.
At a time when security is far away from daily life, Aya refuses to let her will be taken from her. Amid the rubble, she found a spark of hope and transformed from someone affected by events into a change‑maker in her community.
Her story is living proof that Gaza’s youth, despite their pain, are still maintaining hope and contributing to a safer and just community.