By: Kenzy Hesham
Around the world, the new school year is in full swing, but children in Gaza face a different reality. With many schools damaged or destroyed, their learning has been relocated to tents. Many Gazan children have also had to rely on donated school supplies, including the blue bags provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Unsatisfied with the bags, Sara Zaqout, a 20-year-old Gazan, decided to give them a makeover.
From pretty flowers to butterflies to footballs, Sara’s drawings added some much-needed joy and whimsy, transforming the bags from a symbol of loss to a symbol of rebirth.
Channeling Advocacy through Art
Art has allowed Sara to unleash her emotions and make sense of all the tragedies that have occurred over the past three years. She posts her paintings on social media to give her followers a glimpse into what life in Gaza is truly like.
Titled Alshafaq, one of her latest paintings depicts a young girl smiling in a blue dress. She is leaning on crutches, and one of her legs is missing. The leg is replaced with some flowers and grass. For her, the painting symbolizes the idea of creating joy from painful moments.
“Beauty can bloom from the deepest places of pain, and a wound is not always the end. Behind us lies a city consumed by fire; before us, a light that never faded. Between the two, we bloom… and we keep walking with whatever remains of us.”
Providing a Helping Hand
Painting backpacks isn’t the first time Sara has given back to the people around her. Through her social media platforms, she collects donations to provide people with essential supplies. Without the help of an official organization, she sources and delivers food, clothes, baby supplies, and emergency cash to those in need. Last summer, she brought children at camps ice cream as a source of refreshment during the heat.
“The joy on their faces was everything; most of them haven’t had ice cream since the war began because it’s way too expensive now. It broke my heart to realize how something so simple became a luxury. But today, we brought them a moment of happiness, and that means the world to me.”
Whether through art or aid, Sara infuses hope into those around her and continues to show how remarkable human nature can be.
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