Stories of hope in Palestine amid the chaos
Two impactful stories highlight how the dedication of loving caregivers and the tireless efforts of SOS Children’s Villages to reunite families can heal emotional wounds in the aftermath of loss and chaos.
Born into loss, human connection endures
The sun was barely rising over the war-torn landscape when SOS Children’s Villages in Rafah received an unexpected visitor. Cradled gently in the arms of a rescue worker was a tiny baby boy, Karam*, just one day old, with a tuft of dark hair and a wrinkled face. "His mother was injured and died while giving birth," explained the worker with a heavy heart. This baby, so new to the world, already carries the weight of loss and chaos but will be safe here.
In the shelter's quietest moments, the boy’s SOS mother, Basma, would hold him close, her voice a soothing balm against his distress. She noticed early on how he calmed when she sang softly to him, her words weaving a cocoon of comfort around his fragile being. "He calms down when he hears my voice," Basma says, smiling and feeling a profound connection with the little boy who had already been through so much. In her care, amid the scars of conflict and the shadows of loss, he finds peace, his tiny heart slowly healing with each lullaby she sings.
Karam is now four months old, and the team is trying to trace his family of origin to reunite him with them.
After months of separation, siblings reunite with their mother
Ahmed*, 12, and Aisha*, 10, are siblings who were cared for by SOS Children's Villages Palestine in Gaza after losing their father and being separated from their mother during their displacement to Rafah. Despite the safety, education, emotional support, and care they received, the children still yearned for their mother.
The initial three months were challenging for the siblings. Though they were safe, they were constantly worried about their mother’s safety. The staff at SOS Children's Villages Palestine knew that reuniting the family was crucial for the children's wellbeing.
Through relentless efforts and coordination with local partners, SOS Children's Villages Palestine, after several months, located Fatima, their mother. They found her in a state of deep despair, barely surviving. Understanding the urgency, SOS Children’s Villages Palestine helped secure a place for the family in a designated shelter camp. This camp, equipped with water, food parcels, and other necessities, offered a glimmer of hope for a better future.
When Ahmed and Aisha were told their mother had been found, their joy was immeasurable. The day of the reunion was filled with tears, hugs, and an unspoken promise never to be separated again. The shelter camp became their new home, where they could rebuild their lives together. SOS Children's Villages Palestine provides ongoing support, ensuring the family can access healthcare and psychological support.
The ongoing necessary work of child-family reunification and psychosocial care
It is estimated that over 17,000 children in Gaza are either unaccompanied or separated from their families. In the current security and humanitarian situation, gathering and verifying data accurately is nearly impossible, and the actual number is likely much higher.
Ongoing mental health and psychosocial care programs in Gaza play a vital role in helping individuals, especially children, recover from the trauma of war and rebuild their emotional and social resilience.
SOS Children’s Villages is currently responding to 32 humanitarian crises worldwide. In 2023, your generous support to our emergency response programs helped provide immediate, life-saving aid to 1,385,800 people in crisis.
*Names changed to protect privacy.