PHOTO: The Freedom Theatre
Name: Sarah Mohammad Moawya
Age: 6 years
Lives In: Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
Languages Spoken: Arabic, English
Parents’ Jobs: Her mother works for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and her father works at The Freedom Theatre
Favorite Foods: Lentil soup
Favorite Subject in School: Science
Favorite Animal: Rabbit
Favorite Activities: Drawing
Favorite Flower: Jasmine Flower
What She Wants to Be When She Grows Up: Doctor
A Little About My Home: My family is originally from Zereen village close to Haifa in what is today Israel. They were among the around 750,000 Palestinians who had to leave their homes at the time when Israel was created in 1948. They were never able to return, and even though it would take us less than two hours to go to our village we have never been there. My brother, sister and I were born in Jenin refugee camp, where about 17,000 refugees live in an area of less than one square kilometer. The camp is run by the United Nations and they are in charge of the schools, health centers, etc. In 2002 the Israeli army invaded Jenin camp and during ten days, many people were killed and more than 400 families became homeless when their houses were destroyed. The army still enters the camp during the nights and it’s very difficult for a lot of kids to sleep.
PHOTO: perealbiac/Flickr
Occupied Palestine at a Glance
Population: 4.6 million Palestinians and 564,000 Israeli settlers
Languages Spoken: Arabic, Hebrew, English
Major Religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism
Learn More: The occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza are located within the state of Israel that was created in 1948. Palestinians refer to this time as al-Nakbah, or “the catastrophe,” since the hundreds of thousands who were driven from their homes have still not been able to return.
