MECA staff member in Gaza Wafaa El-Derawi leads games with children living in an informal shelter in Gaza

For over five months, hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza have been displaced from one tent to another, from one street to another. Each night brought with it fear, cold, and hunger. The simple joys of childhood – families, homes, schools, and kindergartens – were stripped away, leaving behind the shattered remains of their dreams. These children have taken responsibilities far beyond their years, enduring the indignity of standing in long, humiliating queues for basic needs like flour, food, water, and even the simple dignity of using a bathroom.

In the midst of such hardship, I could never have imagined the moment when music would slice through the silence of their struggle, calling them out from their tents. Barefoot and excited, they emerged at the first sound of a melody, their voices rising in songs of homeland, freedom, and the yearning for a decent life.

This was a moment that was sad and heartbreaking but also full of hope and inspiration.

Our psychological support project reaches out to hundreds of these children and their mothers, providing activities designed not just to entertain, but to heal. The joy and gratitude in their eyes were overwhelming, as they asked for us to return. One child told me that our activity reminded him of his kindergarten days and his teachers and friends.

This experience has made it clear that the support we offer, the space for play and recovery, is as crucial to the children’s well-being as the food and water we provide. Even when things are really tough, having happy and normal moments is not just something extra; it’s something very important that helps people feel hopeful and start to heal. Now more than ever, we need to help them feel better inside. We must commit ourselves to nurturing the children’s spirits, offering them not just the means to survive, but the opportunity to heal.