Gaza Families Rebuild Lives, Home by Home

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting displaced families in Gaza, like Mayyada’s, to move into temporary relief housing as part of the Gaza Neighbourhood Approach project. Mayyada, a 24-year-old pregnant mother of two, has been repeatedly displaced from her home in Jabalia refugee camp since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, living in schools, tents, and with relatives.

The project provides not only shelter but also debris removal, essential service rehabilitation, and employment opportunities, aiming to restore basic infrastructure and community function. While these units offer improved privacy and stability, they are a temporary solution given the widespread destruction.

Mayyada, a portrait artist before the war, hopes these new conditions will allow her to rebuild a sense of normalcy and create a brighter future for her children. The UNDP is also working to repair damaged homes with funding from Germany, the Republic of Korea, and Sweden.