Against the Odds

In the sections below we take a look at many brave men and women who are trying – against all odds – to build a future for Palestine.

Saeda Shaladan; a 40-year-old mother of five from Gaza, pictured in 2017 during our Winter Humanitarian Aid campaign

Saeda: The single mother of five from Gaza

We would like to celebrate the strength and resilience of the Palestinian women who shine through their adversities. This is the story of Saeda Shaladan; a 40-year-old mother of five from Gaza. Saeda took custody of her 5 children following her divorce. This custody battle didn’t come easy as she…

'My disability became my motivation': Abeer's Story

‘Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, “I’m-possible”! …So says Abeer Abu Shahma, drawing upon Audrey Hepburn’s famous quip. Abeer is a Gazan woman who, #AgainstTheOdds has fought to empower women with disabilities in the Gaza Strip. At an impressive 49 years of age, this determined matriarch never loses hope.…

IWD: What it means to be a woman in Palestine…

In celebration of #InternationalWomensDay on Wednesday 8th March 2017 our female colleagues in Gaza have made an acrostic of the word ‘women’. See the resilience of women in Palestine through the eyes of our team in Gaza…

Dana El-Tanna: Communications Assistant

Dana joined the Communications Team at the Gaza Field Office in 2016. Here she shares her stories about growing up as a girl in Gaza ahead of #InternationalWomensDay   My name is Dana El-Tanna and I’m 26 years old. I work as a Communications Assistant at the Interpal Gaza Office.…

Sahar Abu Shaaban: Communications Assistant

Sahar joined our Gaza Field Office as a Communications Assistant in 2016. Here she shares her experiences of growing up as a woman in the Gaza Strip and the challenges she faced ahead of #InternationalWomensDay   I was the youngest daughter in my family, the pampered daddy’s girl. Just like…