Success story

“Like mother, like daughter,” is an old Arabic saying that often comes to mind because I consider my mother to be my role model. She and I share the same sense of design and interest in art, though each of us excels in very different fields.  My mother is a technical instructor of clothing designs in one of the UNRWA centers, while I am an engineer.  I was born in Libya but came back to live in Khan Younis City in southern Gaza when I was just four years old. My family is relatively small, I have only one sister and brother.  My father was an engineer before he died in a car accident in Libya. It was because of him that I chose to be an engineer. As the eldest child, I wanted to follow in his footsteps and I was determined to succeed. The people of my community said this profession was too hard for girls, and that they would prefer their girls to choose less demanding and more traditional careers.  However, I had a lot of support from my mother who encouraged me to study whatever I wanted.

I studied hard in a local high school in Khan Younis where I graduated with high marks, 91%. Thanks to my grades and my family’s support, I joined the Faculty of Engineering at the Islamic University. Since earning a B.Sc. in Engineering followed by a Masters in Business Administration, many new doors have opened up for me. I have worked in different consultancy engineering companies as well as many organizations such as Oxfam GB, in addition to teaching classes at Al-Aqsa University. However, my particular field of interest has always been engineering in the Water and Sanitation sector.

I consider Israel’s 2009 ‘Operation Cast Lead’ as a very important stage in my life. During that period, most of our hopes and dreams were buried under the rubble of destruction, and the line between life and death was very thin. I saw terrible things which can never be removed from my memory. At the time, I was working with Oxfam GB and was responsible for providing water tanks to the impoverished areas of Gaza, especially in the north. It was a critical time for Gaza, with entire water network infrastructures totally destroyed in the fighting. I saw how much of an impact we made simply by providing water tanks to the poorest and hardest-to-reach communities. The work felt like magic and it touched my heart. Later, I worked on water and sanitation networks rehabilitation.

I spend long hours working in the office and the field; however, the hours pass quickly because I am passionate about my work. Still, it is challenging in the field when workmen on project sites clearly prefer to receive advice and instructions from a male rather than a female engineer.  However, faith in my capabilities and determination push me to overcome the challenges of working in a male-dominated profession. In the conservative communities of Gaza, it is hard to change the way people think, but I believe this is happening, though slowly. As I learned from my mother, “giving” is the best gift we possess, and it can change the way people perceive us. I especially feel this way when I help people to get access to clean water. Helping those people gives flavor to my life.

Today, I work as an office engineer in ANERA’s Gaza office, where I focus on projects funded by USAID under the Emergency Water and Sanitation and Other Infrastructure Program (EWAS II). Not only are these EWAS II projects of great importance in serving the community, but they also give me the opportunity to do what I am passionate about, expand my experiences, and strengthen my character. These experiences have encouraged me to be ambitious, and I hope one day to complete a PhD. I also hope, through my work, that I can educate my community about the rights of women to education and work in any field. I strive to send the message that women should go ahead and explore their interests, even the less “traditional” ones.