These Gaza family stories, published by the Human Development Fund (HDF) in January 2025, document two different forms of support: a classroom where Ibrahim Abu Dgaim returned to learning and emergency shelter for Bara’a Ahmed and her children after repeated displacement.
Both accounts are personal. Ibrahim described what it meant to sit in a classroom again. Bara’a described escaping a tent fire and receiving another place to stay. Their words show what immediate support changed and what it could not undo.
Gaza family stories begin with Ibrahim’s return to learning
At the time HDF recorded his account, Ibrahim introduced himself as 10 years old and spoke about how the war had interrupted his education:
“My name is Ibrahim Abu Dgaim, and I’m ten years old. I live in Gaza. Every day, I wake up to the sounds of explosions and chaos. The war has become a part of my life, but I have dreams, just like any other kid. I dream of going back to school, sitting in a classroom, and learning new things.”
Through HDF’s Seeds of Hope primary education program, Ibrahim returned to lessons in science, math, Arabic, English and Qur’an. The learning space also gave him time for drawing, sports and friendships alongside his studies.
For Ibrahim, the difference was not abstract. It was the return of lessons, classmates and a daily routine:
“Away from the sounds of war, I found a safe haven in our school. Most importantly, I learned about strength and overcoming hardships. Despite the challenges, I found joy in the darkness.”
The classroom did not remove the danger beyond it. It gave Ibrahim a place to learn and spend time with other children while living through that danger.
Bara’a and her children receive emergency shelter
Bara’a described repeated displacement with her children:
“My name is Bara’a Ahmed, a mother from Gaza. Life here has never been easy, but the past few years have been a true test of my strength and resilience. Alongside my children, we’ve faced countless challenges and had to flee our home more times than I can count.”
In the account published by HDF, Bara’a said an airstrike struck near the family’s tent during one displacement near Shohada’ Al-Aqsa Hospital. The tent caught fire, but she and her children escaped.
“For a moment, I thought we wouldn’t survive. But by the grace of God, we managed to escape with our lives.”
HDF then provided the family with another tent in one of its shelter camps. The tent met an immediate need for cover and a place to stay. It was not permanent housing, and it did not reverse what the family had already endured.
Bara’a described what that support meant to her family:
“The HDF didn’t just provide us with a tent. They gave us hope and a lifeline in our darkest times.”
What these Gaza family stories show about support
Education and shelter answered different needs. The classroom gave Ibrahim access to lessons, activities and peers. The tent gave Bara’a and her children immediate shelter after a fire forced them to move again.
Neither form of support should be mistaken for complete recovery. For families living through war and displacement, immediate assistance can matter profoundly while much larger needs remain. That is the honest measure of these two accounts.
Support HDF’s Gaza response
HDF’s current Gaza response includes education, emergency shelter and other forms of humanitarian assistance. The current appeal explains the available ways to help.
May Allah protect Ibrahim, Bara’a and their families, and grant safety and relief to every family living through war and displacement. Ameen.
