Ruba: A Journey of Success After Challenges

12-years-old Ruba, finished her sixth grade with an impressive performance, as she received excellent grades in all academic subjects. Thanks to her remarkable success, she will smoothly move to the seventh grade without facing any difficulties, that is for her strong motivation and outstanding abilities.

Ruba moved to the West Bank, specifically Bethlehem, with the group that was evacuated from SOS Children’s Village Rafah in March of this year. After a break of about eight months, Ruba was able to continue her learning journey and catch up on what she had missed when she joined the intensive classes organized by SOS Children’s Villages during the summer vacation. Ruba’s caregiver played a major role in her educational journey, in addition to the support of specialists who contributed to improving her psychological state. Despite the long break from education in Gaza, the initial academic evaluations were positive and reassuring.

“The children were expected to regress after such a long break from school, but when I heard from Ruba’s teacher about her progress in classroom skills and the assessment of her speed of memorization, I was very optimistic,” said Mutaz Lubbad, a psychologist at the SOS Children’s Village Rafah program, who is working with the children in Bethlehem.

Ruba joined an English language support course, which helped her develop her basic skills and make new friends. With her great efforts, Ruba was able to overcome her anxiety and improve her mental state significantly, which increased her self-confidence. This success was reflected in her social life, as she made new friends at school, which enhanced her social integration and increased her level of self confidence.

Ruba now settles with two of her sisters and two other children with their caregiver, Mama Etimad, who helps her overcome difficult experiences and memories and encourages her to join open activities in the SOS Children's Village and outside in the community. Ruba loves participating in clay and drawing activities, enjoys shaping clay and producing shapes that express what is inside her mind, and coloring it with her favorite red color.

Thanks to this remarkable progress, Ruba lives in an environment full of love and peace, which helps her adapt and live in peace again.