The Electronic Intifada 9 December 2024
Tents in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, 22 November 2024.
APA imagesBack in June, my husband Ahmed was trying to get in touch with his friend Muhammad, but every time he placed a call, he received the message, “The number you are trying to reach is unavailable.”
After two days of trying to connect with no success, Ahmed called Muhammad’s wife. He was shocked and deeply saddened to be told that Muhammad had been shot and killed by the Israeli military.
The blow was severe for Ahmed; Muhammad was like a brother to him.
Muhammad had three daughters, ages 4, 7 and 10, and also ran a small shoe-repair business. Ahmed was surprised when Muhammad’s wife offered him the shoe repair machine. Before the genocide, Ahmed worked as a math teacher and had never repaired shoes in his life.
But Ahmed learned how to operate the machine, relying on online videos and trial and error, facing difficulties and setbacks until he was finally able to fix shoes on his own.
Becoming a shoe repairman
Ahmed spent days learning all he could about the shoe repair machine and how to operate it. He started by examining the machine’s parts, soon realizing that some were worn out. He looked for replacement parts and devised his own solutions using simple tools and parts to compensate for any shortages.
Learning to do all this was not easy under such circumstances, but Ahmed persevered. With every failed attempt, he learned something new until he finally managed to get the machine operating again.
When it did it signified the birth of new hope, not only for Ahmed but also for the family of his martyred friend. They smiled when they saw the machine working once more, carrying with it the promise of a modest yet vital source of income.
This machine connected Ahmed to a new responsibility and a deeper meaning of work and survival. He put up a sign in the market in Khan Younis about his shoe repair services, attracting many customers. Due to the scarcity of shoes in southern Gaza, many people have worn out their old shoes, unable to find new ones.
“Now I have at least a goal to wake up for every day, a goal that makes me feel grateful,” Ahmed said.
Facing challenges pays off
Hope and determination can help one transcend the toughest of circumstances. Thanks to Ahmed’s resolve and his desire to help his friend’s family, he was able to turn challenges into opportunities, transforming an old machine into a symbol of life and productivity.
It was not only a means of securing a livelihood but also an embodiment of responsibility and solidarity in times of crisis. Ahmed provides Muhammad’s family with half of all the money he earns.
This story is not just about a machine; it is a testament to the human capacity to adapt and survive and proof that hope can bloom even in the darkest places.
Ahmed did not realize that when he said goodbye to his martyred friend that part of this friend’s responsibilities would fall on his shoulders, along with this old machine that has given us new life.
Saeda Hamdona is a writer in Gaza.
