— GGM’s Student Voices Behind the Images
Join us as we begin a journey revealing our students’ voices more deeply behind the images. Today we begin with six students. Their words and stories, below.
Students’ Stories
Two moments I’ll never forget.
The first:
Mama left the house for a bit.
So I cleaned everything, every corner, every shelf, every room.
When she came back, she looked around… and then she looked at me.“Allah yerdha alayki.”
Three words.
But the way she said them
I felt like I had won the whole world. ????The second:
My friend Lana Nofal didn’t understand part of the lesson.
So I sat with her and explained it, until it clicked.Then the exam came.
And that exact part showed up.She got it right.
I didn’t need my name on her paper to feel proud.
Seeing her smile was enough.I’m Tala Shamali. I’m 12 years old.
And I learned that the best feeling in the world
is making someone else’s day a little easier.
During our displacement to the south, my best friend’s birthday came.
No stores. No wrapping paper. No cake.
But I had something.
I reached into my bag, the one bag I carried when we left everything behind and I pulled out my favorite toy.
I gave it to him.
Not because I had to.
But because we spent every single moment together during the hardest days of our lives and he deserved to feel something good.Happiness in Gaza doesn’t wait for perfect conditions.
We make it, even in the middle of nowhere, even with nothing.
I’m Salah Abu Hamam, 12 years old.
And that was the best gift I ever gave. ????
I was walking with Baba.
Then I saw her.A woman on the street who needed help.
I looked up at Baba.
He looked down at me.I asked for some money.
He gave it to me.
And I walked over and gave it to her.Just like that.
Baba didn’t tell me to.
I just knew it was the right thing to do.And when I walked away
I felt something warm inside.
The kind of happy that stays.I’m Basant Al-Ashi. 8 years old. Gaza.
And I learned that giving
is the best feeling in the world. ????
I was just going to buy bread.
That was the plan.Then I saw him.
A little boy crossing the street alone.
He fell.And nobody stopped.
I stopped.
I went to him.
Helped him up.
Gave him water.
Fixed his clothes.
Looked at him properly
he was so small.
Heading to kindergarten.
All by himself.So I walked him there.
Then I went and bought the bread.
And brought it back to the kindergarten.
Just to make sure he was okay.I’m Jana Al-Muzaini. 13 years old. Gaza.
And I learned
some detours are worth taking.
Especially here.
Yesterday, I was walking down the street.
I saw a boy.
Holding Two heavy water jugs in his hands.
Struggling with every step.I didn’t walk past.
I went over, picked up one of the jugs,
and walked with him.Because he had helped me before.
And I remembered.That’s it.
No big story.
No reward.Just two boys on a street in Gaza
carrying water together.I’m Ali Saad. 9 years old. Gaza.
And I learned
when someone helps you,
you don’t forget.
I’m 9 years old.
And one day, I decided to do something.
I tidied the house.
Scrubbed the floors with my big sister.
Washed the dishes.
Put everything back in its place.
Not because anyone told me to.
Just because I saw Mama doing everything alone
and I didn’t want her to anymore.
My hands are small.
But that day, they did big things.
I’m Tala Al-Souda. From Gaza.
And I learned that helping is its own kind of love.
Join Us On Our Journey
— GGM’s student voices behind the images
Join us on our journey as we explore how kindness matters with our students — the children of Gaza — during the Israeli war, blockade, siege, and famine against Palestinians in the world’s infamous “open air concentration camp”.
We long for the day when resilience is less needed, when courage and being brave through terrifying circumstances are no longer necessary, when children the world over are allowed to be children without being forced to abandon their childhood in order to survive.
Continue with us as we witness the beauty and bravery of Gaza’s children during this historically challenging time. Stay with us as we show the world the incredible spirit of Palestinians choosing life, love, and hope again and again despite the circumstances. Help us advocate for them by supporting Gaza Great Minds’ mission and sharing the stories from the children and their teachers.
Our Vision: “To ensure every child in Gaza has access to education and the chance to rebuild their lives, amidst the genocide & beyond”.
Our Mission: “We provide safe tent classrooms, and quality education to Gaza’s children affected by war. We also provide much-needed professional psychological support.
By fostering resilience and hope, we empower youth, reignite joy, and contribute to rebuilding a resilient community. We work against the odds & logistical challenges to bring hope & smiles back to their faces.”
We won’t stop until all Gaza’s children have the opportunity to thrive.
More from GGM’s Founder: Read The Middle East Monitor interview with Ahmed
‘If you want to rebuild a country, you start with their minds,’ says Gaza teacher
English teacher Ahmed Abo Rizik helped set up Gaza Great Minds, an organisation that continues to educate Palestinian children in Gaza in tent schools, giving them some semblance of normality at a time when they have experienced great loss, homelessness and struggle to survive each and every day.
“Education is a form of resistance,” Ahmed asserts.
“When children are educated, they are empowered. They learn to hope, to dream, and to believe in a better future.“
The danger surrounding Ahmed, his colleagues and students is ever-present. During our interview, drones hummed in the background until there was a deafening silence followed by a large explosion. “This strike could be me,” says Ahmed as an F-16 targeted nearby houses.
“If I must die, you must live, to tell my story,” he continued, echoing the lines of the final poem written by his teacher, Dr Refaat Alareer, a writer who was assassinated in an Israeli air strike that targeted his sister’s flat in northern Gaza in December.
The silence that followed the air strike was punctuated by the chaos of emergency response vehicles, underscoring the constant threat to life Palestinians live under. Yet, Ahmed’s resolve remains unshaken.“No matter what, we will keep going. Even if they destroy the tent, we will build another. Even if I die, another teacher will continue this mission because if you want to rebuild a country, you start with their minds.”
How You Can Help
You can make a real impact now. Support Gaza Great Minds today or become a member of our new Patreon community. It’s free to sign up and the more in-depth, lengthier pieces provide a closer view behind the scenes at GGM.
Gaza Great Minds’ social media presence has been growing. Followers and friends can support our mission by joining GGM on their popular platforms. Every like, every comment, every repost, every share helps tremendously. Find us at the links below.
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Become a member of GGM’s PATREON.
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Footnote: Gaza Great Minds operates tent classrooms in Gaza, providing education, psychological and social-emotional support, safe space, and hope for over 2,100 students living through military occupation, siege, famine, war, and genocide. To learn more or to support our work, please visit www.gazagreatminds.org.
Gaza Great Minds Foundation is a Nonprofit NGO, Non-Government Organisation registered in the UK 16015064.
Contact: info@Gazagreatminds.org | +44 (0)333 339 3347 Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM55
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