How have you impacted your community?

I was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk, Syria and I now live in Gaza with my family. After studying computer engineering, I have worked in the humanitarian field for over six years, focusing on communications. I feel blessed to be part of the humanitarian community, despite the daily challenges I face.

My current focus is to train new university graduates—primarily women—on how to produce stories, videos, and artwork that raise awareness about specific issues concerning women across Gaza.

More than 80 percent of the population in Gaza relies on assistance to cover daily living needs. Despite a talented pool of recent graduates, unemployment rates are extremely high. After the recent conflict in the summer of 2014, the situation in Gaza has become even worse and depression rates and suicide attempts have increased. Young women in Gaza need to be encouraged to use their inner strength to make substantial changes.

My goal is to create a generation of women that are able to express themselves, explain their problems, and seek out solutions. I plan create a space for women to be creative and productive, as well as to begin to generate their own income.