Success Stories

  It has been six months since the Gaza ceasefire was announced. Living conditions remain tough but humanitarians still operating in the territory have shown remarkable resilience.   When Khulood first arrived to document Farah’s story, one child stood out immediately. A girl carrying herself with the seriousness of someone much older. Khulood, a pharmacist turned humanitarian worker, listened as Farah spoke about her dreams, her struggles, and her hope to return to school.   Khulood works with Juzoor for Health and Social Development – a key partner of Plan International in the humanitarian response in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).   She lives in Gaza with her elderly parents after her home was destroyed by bombing, and she is the person bringing stories like Farah’s to light. On 10 April, it will be six months since the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.   This is what life looks like through her eyes. Read the full article:  

From the heart of the pain left by the Gaza war, a story of hope emerged—carrying the name Maha Sharab, a ten-year-old girl who lost her leg due to shelling and suddenly faced a harsh reality she had never imagined. Maha’s early days were filled with physical disability and deep emotional and psychological pain, yet amidst this darkness, a glimmer of hope appeared with the Khan Younis Rehabilitation Team at Juzoor, as part of the Community Based Rehabilitation Project. Through long therapy sessions and continuous support, her tears gradually turned into smiles, she regained her confidence, and learned to balance, move, and laugh without fear. Today, Maha is back to being a child who plays, laughs, and dreams, proving that true rehabilitation begins in the heart before the body, and that hope can rise even from the deepest pain. 

“For me, a turning point in my professional journey came after completing Basic Life Support (BLS) training. This wasn’t just another workshop; it was a transformative experience that helped me bridge the gap between theory and practice, grounding my work in globally recognized medical principles. I am Dr. Hassan Arjawi, a physician at the Jericho Medical Center, in Jericho governorate, Palestine. For the past five years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by our community as a result of the Israeli Occupation, particularly those living in marginalized and rural areas, and those surrounded by Israeli settlements. Limited access to healthcare services, delays caused by movement restrictions, and a lack of resources mean that every moment in an emergency counts.”

This is a turning point for me as a journalist. This training has changed my perspective on health topics and taught me how to use media and journalism as a tool to influence health amongst community members. My name is Bissan Shallaldeh, a 24-year-old media and journalism graduate from Sa’ir – Hebron, Palestine. Although I have been working in the media field for some time, I initially didn’t place much emphasis on health-related topics and weren’t something I ever really thought about.. However, that changed after I participated in a series of awareness-raising sessions on community health promotion and disease prevention. These sessions transformed my perspective, making me realize that journalism is not just about reporting—it’s a powerful tool for promoting health awareness and addressing social issues like gender-based violence (GBV).

Mariam Ziod, working at stars of hope organization, spoke about the importance of this training, especially since she deals with women and girls with disability, this training will help her deals with adolescent girls with a disability who face risky behaviour every day.