By: Sarah Shurrab
📣 Voices: Amplifying Narratives of Resilience
The OGA Voices section is dedicated to amplifying powerful narratives, featuring transformative stories of resilience and innovative action from individuals, particularly those from BIPOC communities and the Global South. We ensure that these stories are showcased in the author’s true, unaltered words, maintaining their authentic first-person voice. Sarah Shurrab shares her deeply personal account of displacement, profound loss, and her unwavering hope amidst the unimaginable reality she faces in Gaza.
If you ever ask me, “What is the second greatest sorrow in your life?” I would say it is the loss of our house. My journey of displacement started on the same day the first displaced people left their houses at the beginning of the war in 2023. We were physically in our house but anticipating the displacement, which we underwent two months into the war.
From Home to Tent: A Cycle of Loss
No sooner had we moved to our grandmother’s house than we had to move to the south of Khan Yunis city to a relative’s house. We spent a month, then we moved once again to a tent.
I tried to picture the camping idea, but a deep loss loomed over the tent and sank in me. I was yearning for home every night. During the daytime, I fled to the beach to refresh my soul. It was safer in Rafah, but I felt happy for those who had died in their houses. The chilly nights were beyond my ability, but the hot days in summer were the worst of all. While we once had the luxury of returning to our home, we now ended up displaced with no hope of return.
November 2025: The Unimaginable Reality
Today is November 10th, 2025, or so I address the classrooms in a typical school day. I live in a tent, teach in a tent, and walk by tents. The amount of misery I see in the streets is unimaginable. If I had known by any chance that our life would look like this in two years, I would have died out of grief at that time. Our senses are paralyzed. Nothing looks like us. I believe that in the future when I look back, I would wonder how we ever managed this miserable situation—I wish.
Shaping the Future: Rebuilding and Honoring Warriors
I wish to rebuild our house, but it is unaffordable. I wish to have a decent life, but it depends. It depends on the politicians, their decisions, and their own interests. What if the best choice is to leave for good? Our country needs us. That is why getting a scholarship is the ideal option for me. I want to contribute to my city’s rebuilding and prosperity.
I fully see that the loss we have been through can never be compensated. This is the second loss, as the first is the loss of our beloved ones, including my brother-in-law. However, we can shape the future and let the generations model and honour their warriors
Sarah Shurrab is a writer and teacher from Gaza. She holds a degree in English from the Islamic University of Gaza and is a contributor to the We Are Not Numbers initiative. Sarah uses writing as a tool for resistance, a way to find peace, and a means to navigate the complex situation in Gaza. Her ultimate goal is to earn a Master’s degree in linguistics and contribute her skills toward the rebuilding and prosperity of her city.
📚 Context & The Need for Rebuilding
The author’s aspiration to rebuild is set against a backdrop of monumental devastation in Gaza. The level of destruction to infrastructure and housing is unprecedented, requiring a colossal financial and logistical effort. The hope for a scholarship is critical, as it aims to preserve the region’s human and academic capital, allowing individuals like the author to continue their education abroad. It also prepares them to return as skilled contributors to the future reconstruction and prosperity of their city.
💚 How to Support Sarah and Other Voices of Resilience
Sarah’s story is a testament to the enduring human spirit in the face of profound loss, but her ability to shape the future depends on tangible support.
If you or someone you know can support Sarah in her educational or professional journey, please reach out to her directly via the links below or to us here at OGA.
- Amplify Her Voice: Engage with her writing and advocacy through the links below to share her story and ensure it reaches a wider audience.
- Support Education: Sarah mentions her goal of getting a scholarship. Supporting educational and professional development programs for displaced scholars is a critical way to invest in the future reconstruction of her region.
- Support Grassroots Action: Consider supporting organizations like We Are Not Numbers, which provide a vital platform for young writers in crisis areas, or as OGA, which amplify the voices and actions of the Global South.
