Gaza is exhausted because of the many challenges and problems caused by the occupation. Poverty runs high and young people are escaping the country.
I know a lot of young people like me with tremendous energy and talent, so I started publishing their stories on social media.
One day I was walking by a market when I heard a little girl asking her mom to buy her clothes for the feast, and her mom said: “this market is not for us”. Her words kept ringing in my ears. Should I write a story about this or should I start a market for this little girl and for the people that can’t afford to go to the market?
We started reaching out to people online and received funds from everywhere in the Strip. After only one month, we managed to help 430 families. In the winter, we reached more than 8,000 people, providing blankets, hats, gloves and a package of clothes.
I am often challenged because our group includes women. Once I was speaking in a Facebook video about our campaign, and around five comments were asking me to cover my hair before going online. A group of men wouldn’t face the same interruptions.
I believe in what I am doing and what I am doing is right. Either I agree to be excluded or keep going and become a valuable member of society. It is a fight I am taking on behalf of myself and the rest of the women in my community. Once I carve this space, other women will carve it too.