Through Their
Eyes: Children
From Gaza
Capture Life
and Hope
Powerful photos by young Palestinian refugees from Gaza, supported by Save the Children and in collaboration with Choose Love, tell stories of hope, endurance and a longing to return home
Since October 2023, more than 100,000 Palestinians have crossed the border into Egypt, seeking refuge from the war in Gaza, medical care, and a chance at stability and education for their children. Save the Children is responding by providing a range of essential services, including cash assistance, medical support, and Child Friendly Spaces where children can learn, play, and begin to heal from the trauma of conflict. Mental health support is a key focus in these spaces, with access to therapy, art, and music sessions aimed at helping children recover and build resilience.
Earlier this year a group of young Palestinian refugees from Gaza attended a photography workshop with Oscar-nominated director, photographer and Save the Children Ambassador Misan Harriman. They went on to document their daily lives for a special creative project, filling out scrapbooks with their own photographs, drawings and writings, which tell a story about their lives, dreams and aspirations during the harrowing war on their homeland.
Funded by the global refugee charity Choose Love, the photography project aimed to provide children with an outlet for their emotions – and a way to tell their story in their own way.
“To see the children in Cairo have stability, to see them thrive and learn, is a real reminder of what has been taken from them, and why aid organisations like Save the Children are now more important than ever.”
Misan Harriman is a prominent voice advocating for children and families in Gaza through his art, public commentary, and humanitarian efforts. As an ambassador for Save the Children, he has actively participated in initiatives highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including sharing firsthand accounts from staff in the region and highlighting the terrible conditions faced by children and families. Amongst many things, Misan’s advocacy has helped to draw attention to Save the Children’s campaign calling on the UK government to suspend all arms transfers to Israel.
Earlier this year, teams at Save the Children along with Misan developed the idea for the photo project, to help amplify the voices of the young participants. The end result not only showcases their talent and perspective but also underscores the importance of giving children tools to express themselves. Their images offer a rare and deeply human window into their lives - marked by creativity, courage, and hope for the future.
Photos by: Misan Harriman/ Save the Children
Photos by: Misan Harriman/ Save the Children
THE PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENT
As part of this project, ten children aged 11 to 13 were selected to take part in a photography workshop and a multi-week collaboration project. The workshop aimed not only to teach technical skills but, more importantly, to help them tell their own stories through images. All the participants shown above and their families are supported by Save the Children in Egypt.
The workshop included a technical session focused on using the provided cameras, covering lighting, angles, backdrops, and directing subjects. The children then worked in pairs, rotating through four themed stations—Portraits, Action, Detail, and Environment—to explore different photography styles. By combining these elements, each child discovered ways to shape and share their own story.
TELLING THEIR STORY
"The best thing I own is my camera because by having it with me I am able to document the happy beautiful moments in every second and moment as reference for me.”
Photos by: Palestinian children taking part in Save the Children Workshop
Photos by: Palestinian children taking part in Save the Children Workshop
OVERVIEW OF PROJECT
After the workshop, the children took part in a follow-up project during Ramadan. Each child received a scrapbook and a camera to keep, allowing them to continue capturing different aspects of their lives in Egypt. The scrapbooks included prompts to guide their photography and encourage reflection on their daily experiences - from life after fleeing conflict to resettling in Cairo.
With the support of volunteers, the children photographed their families, friends, homes, and meaningful personal objects. They filled their scrapbooks with these photographs, along with drawings and written reflections. Through this creative process, they captured not only their present reality but also memories of Palestine and a collective sense of pride in their identity.
"My Superpower would be the ability to change events in order to help my country become free and help my children live in a safe environment. Like the rest of the children in the world"
“I feel proud that I am Palestinian. I feel proud that I am a child with my own identity and feel I have a positive future. I will work hard until I return to my country and home, Gaza, where I was born and raised.”
“When I enter the Child Friendly Space I feel as though I have arrived at my second home, a place that embraces me with love and safety. Here the colours are as bright as my dreams and the smiling faces seem to say “You are always welcome” ”
STORIES BEHIND THE WORKSHOP:
Misan sat down with the mothers of three children participating in the workshop to better understand the reality of fleeing Gaza and what seeking refuge in Cairo has meant for them and their families.
36-year-old Mayar* mother of Adam* has five children aged between 7 and 16. She shares her experience of seeking refuge in Cairo whilst husband remains in Gaza due to injury. Recalling the anxiety she faced living amid the threat of bombing, she says that one year of war felt like a lifetime. “Life was on hold there” she says. In Gaza she would constantly worry that if she ever had to leave her children to get food, she couldn’t be sure they would be alive when she got back.
“I’ve seen my friends who’ve lost children and it’s really hard” she says, “you don’t know if you’re going to find them in one piece or not”.
Now in Egypt, Save the Children has helped her to build a small community of friends. Her children have benefitted from the psychological support, which she noticed as they began to talk and share stories again.
“They now wake up and think about the activities they can do at Save the Children and what it will give them in the future.”
She hopes one day to return to Gaza.
“Gaza still lives in me” she says. “I am waiting for the border crossing to open to return. I know it’s a destroyed place; I know my home is destroyed but I want to return.”
Mariam*, 35, is a mother of six children, aged between 4 and 17. One of her children lives with a heart condition and cerebral atrophy, requiring special care and attention. Recently, Mariam was forced to relocate to Cairo with her children, while her husband had to stay behind, separating the family during a time of immense hardship.
She shared how the conflict and displacement have severely impacted her children’s education and well-being:
“I’d like to thank Save the Children for the space they’ve opened for kids, especially for education. Because of the war, my children were out of school for a long time, and their education really suffered. Some of them used to be top of their class, but I saw them heading toward a dangerous place — they started to forget so much of what they’d learned.”
42-year-old Safaa* has ten children, seven are with her in Cairo along with her husband, while three others remain in Gaza. Three of her children attend Save the Children’s Child-Friendly Space where they study, play and receive psychosocial support. Her son Tarek* who is 13 attended a photography workshop run by Save the Children UK ambassador Misan Harriman.
“I hope we can have a calm life like other countries in the world that are stable without wars” she says. “I need to have a simple life, I don’t need anything more.”
Safaa longs for a peaceful life again back in Gaza.
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