In Gaza, at the Bureij displacement camp, Shireen al-Kurdi makes dolls. It's an emotional refuge for this Arabic teacher who now dedicates herself to bringing smiles to children exposed to the horrors of war. Shireen seems to have found her calling amidst the ruins of the Palestinian enclave.
"The idea of making and designing toys [dolls] came to me after three years of blockade and restrictions, when toys were no longer being imported. I thought I could make dolls for my own children so they could play and have fun. Later, the toys became popular and in high demand, so I decided to expand my business and market them," says Shireen al-Kurdi, an Arabic teacher.
A mother of five, Shireen lives in a strip of land ravaged by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where famine and deprivation gnaw at daily life. In her tent, surrounded by crochet hooks, needles, and balls of colorful wool, Shireen displays her creations.
After three years of war, the children no longer have toys; their toys were buried under the rubble of their homes. After being displaced several times, most returned home, but their toys were lost under the ruins. So the dolls became a lifeline for the children, bringing back their smiles," she explains.
Each doll earns her $10, a modest but vital sum to provide for her family. However, her biggest challenge remains sourcing wool, a rare and precious commodity in a territory where everything is in short supply. The territory is still under Israeli blockade, despite the ceasefire.
