Maintaining livelihoods amidst the crisis in Gaza

Following the devastation of the past three years, productive capacity in Gaza has been seriously damaged, markets have been disrupted and prices of basic goods have risen sharply.

Their experiences reflect the same challenges: maintaining existing livelihoods, helping businesses restart, and creating new opportunities where livelihoods have been lost.

Running a business today means facing uncertainty at every turn. Yet amidst these challenges, women continue to find ways to work, adapt their businesses, learn new skills and somehow – support their families.

Nidaa: A livelihood built from childhood

Nidaa, 35, has her own business raising and selling chickens, ducks and rabbits in the southern city of Khan Younis.

“I have been very interested in this business since I was a child,” he said. “My mother worked with animals, and she taught me everything she knew. During the war, I faced many challenges in continuing my business. However, I insisted on continuing.”

When his house was destroyed during the war and he was displaced, he managed to rescue some of his animals and move them to Khan Younis.

Trained as a teacher, Nidaa chose to follow her passion for animal husbandry, turning it into a business that helped support her family, including her two disabled brothers. But challenges always exist.

‘During the famine, I lost many animals’

“Especially during the famine, I lost a lot of animals,” he recalled. “Food has become very expensive.”

Currently, challenges include shelter for the coming winter, access to clean water and limited food for birds and animals, he said.

“I don’t know how I will care for them without proper shelter,” he said.

Through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) partnered with the local Chamber of Commerce, he received a grant to purchase animals and equipment, as well as training to strengthen his production skills.

Now, Nidaa’s ambition is more than just maintaining what it currently has.

“I hope my business will grow,” she says, “and I can inspire other women to work with animals.”

Hanaa: Starting again after losing

In Gaza City, Hanaa, 49, started a family dairy business with her husband in 2021.

During the war, she lost her husband, one of her sons, and her business. She was left to support her three remaining children while also caring for five children who lost both parents.

With encouragement from her eldest son, Fouad, Hanaa decided to restart her business despite limited resources and a shortage of milk and other raw materials.

“Sometimes, the people who need us are the reason we find the strength to keep going,” said Hanaa, adding that she chose to remain strong and resilient in the face of many challenges.

The collapse of Gaza’s electricity system has made milk production extremely difficult. Electrical disturbances can cause products to be damaged, resulting in losses when resources are already scarce.

With grant support, Hanaa was able to return to producing cheese, milk, labneh, and laban, with hopes of expanding her business into a larger production facility and establishing a more stable source of income for her family.

Hanin: Learn a new trade

For other women, starting over starts with new skills.

Hanin, 36 years old, is studying carpentry. From southern Khan Younis, he traveled to Deir al-Balah to complete 80 hours of vocational training, followed by entrepreneurship and business planning training.

“This is something unique, especially for women,” said Hanin. “This is especially needed today, as wood sources for furniture are limited, and many people lost their furniture during the war.”

More than 200 trainees will receive skills development in the areas of carpentry, textiles, recycling, compost production, data science, graphic design and digital marketing.

For Hanin, learning carpentry is not just about completing a training course. This offers a path to income and potentially building your own business.

Foundation for the future

For women entrepreneurs, access to finance and skills is important, but their ability to maintain and grow their business also depends on the systems around them.

This means reliable energy and water, functioning markets and access to needed equipment and materials.

Therefore, supporting women-led businesses is about more than individual livelihoods, according to the UNDP.

It also helps maintain local productive capacity, generate income and keep economic activity rooted in Palestinian communities, thereby laying the foundations for a locally driven recovery.