Nabil al-Madhoun just turned ten. The oldest of three brothers, he enjoys the same things as most kids his age. He’s quick to make new friends and has fun running around with them, inventing new games. But Nabil’s playground is in the ruins of a shattered city, and at night, his dreams are disturbed by the sound of explosions. He has seen some shocking things in his short life, and when he thinks about the future, he imagines himself in a role that would let him help those around him. Having considered engineering, he has decided that the best thing would be to become a doctor. But to achieve that, he will have to go to school.
Gaza schools before the war
Before the Gaza Strip became a battleground in October 2023, one of the areas in which it excelled was education. 95% of all its children went to school at least until the age of 12 – something that is rare in countries with large rural populations – and it had one of the highest literacy rates in the world, at 97.9%. Most people there speak at least two languages and universities, though underfunded, were gradually expanding, as were the technical colleges which offered an alternative way of building a career.
In an unstable environment, where many families had a history of property being confiscated by the Israeli state, and where bank accounts could also be insecure, education – and personal development in general – was seen as a smart thing to invest in. But for children growing up today, the picture looks very different.
A dream in jeopardy
“Education is not just about books and school for Nabil – it is his hope for a better future,” explained Nabil’s father, Waseem. “In Gaza, war has destroyed schools and taken away many children’s right to learn. Nabil is only 10 years old, but he dreams of returning to school, carrying his backpack and learning like other children around the world.”
During the bombardment of Gaza, schools have been on the front line, with over 200 destroyed in just the first six months. All of the territory’s universities were destroyed within the same period. Some people have chosen to homeschool their children, but it’s difficult to find the necessary materials when facing multiple displacements. Some children go to schools in tents, but these too often lack materials and struggle to provide anything approaching a normal standard of education. Most children in Gaza now don’t go to school at all.
One boy’s determination
“I want to learn new things and have a good future,” Nabil tells me when I ask him why he feels that education is important.
The dream of education is something that Nabil has held onto ever since his family was first displaced. The first couple of times they had to move, they managed to take books, paper and pens with them, so he could still practise his writing while sitting on the floor of a tent. He made an effort to teach what he knew to his brothers, though the youngest was only a baby and a bit young to take it in. He has never given up on them.
The family has been through a lot since. They have been forced to move several times, losing more of their possessions each time. They have endured floods which nearly drowned the baby and kept all the children freezing cold for several nights in a row. Most recently, they were caught up in a fire after nearby shelling set several tents alight, and though they thankfully escaped unhurt, they lost almost everything. They spent over a week homeless, sleeping on the ground under the baking hot sun, until donations from strangers brought in enough money for a new tent.
Despite all of these challenges, and several episodes of illness caused by living in such difficult conditions, Nabil’s determination has never faded. Kind donors enabled him to spend the last year attending a private school, with fees of $200 per month, where he worked really hard and got top grades in every subject. The best in his class, he was awarded a certificate of excellence, of which he is very proud.
Looking to the future
“My favourite subject is maths because I like numbers and solving problems,” Nabil told me. “The most fun thing is playing with my friends and learning together.”
The new school year is about to begin, but Waseem is not sure if he will be able to find the money for it. Donations to people in Gaza are down overall, whether due to fatigue or to people buying into the idea that there has been a meaningful ceasefire (several hundred Palestinians have been killed since it was signed). He is also hesitant to put Nabil through the stress of not knowing, month by month, whether or not he can continue to attend. He hopes to find people who are willing to make regular donations – or, even better, an organisation willing to sponsor his son.
“Please help Nabil continue his education and keep his dream alive,” is his message to anyone able to help.
As for Nabil himself, his primary concern is with finding a way to be useful. “I want to be a doctor because I want to help sick people and children,” he says. If you can help, Waseem has a crowdfunder here.
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