Gaza Through the Eyes of a UNICEF Humanitarian Worker
"Returning to work is not just a decision. It's my duty as a humanitarian worker," says UNICEF's Fairooz Abu Warda. "I can't just stop."
Dedicated aid workers won't stop supporting children in the Gaza Strip
Fairooz Abu Warda, a UNICEF early child development officer, travels by car past the ruined buildings lining the streets of Jabalia, a city in the northern Gaza Strip that has sustained heavy bombing.
"There is no safe place at all here," she says. "The sense of safety and security ... seems like just a distant memory to all of us."
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Aid workers risk their lives to help children
2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian aid workers: 280 aid workers were killed in 33 countries, a 137 percent increase compared to 2022.
Between October 2023 and August 2024, more than 280 aid workers were killed in the Gaza Strip alone.
UNICEF and partners provide essential services to children caught in conflict zones
Families have been torn apart during the escalated conflict. Almost all health facilities have been damaged, and many schools destroyed. Children are suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Access to clean water is limited.
Despite the difficulties, Warda and UNICEF colleagues continue working with partners to meet the essential needs of children in the Gaza Strip: health services, nutrition services, water and sanitation, child protection and education.
We need to continue doing what we do, no matter how hard the situation, how tough the situation gets. Our work is not only about providing aid. It also brings hope. — Fairooz Abu Warda, UNICEF early childhood development officer
"Returning to work is not just a decision," Warda says. "It's my duty as a humanitarian worker. I can't just stop. What keeps me going is knowing that people depend on us. We need to continue doing what we do, no matter how hard the situation, how tough the situation gets. Our work is not only about providing aid. It also brings hope."
UNICEF won't stop working to ensure every child has a safe and happy childhood. Donate today.
Read the latest situation report to learn more about UNICEF's impact for children in the Gaza Strip.
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
