Engineering hope: how the School of Sumud bloomed amid the rubble
Lamia Othman with children in the School of Sumud
Lamia Hatem Othman writes in The Palestine Chronicle on 6 July 2026:
In this corner of the world, where time seems to move painfully slowly, we chose not to wait for the end. Instead, we decided to create a new beginning—to shape hope with our own hands.
My name is Lamia Hatem Othman. My passion for media and education was never simply a university degree hanging on a wall. It became a living mission, one that is written every day in the eyes of our children. When we arrived here, among the tents sheltering displaced families, the scene was enough to break anyone’s spirit. Children were beginning to forget their letters and even their language beneath the constant roar of shelling and exploding shrapnel.
Yet our determination proved stronger than despair. I took a piece of canvas, fastened it to the ground, and our story began with a single word: Sumud—the Arabic concept of steadfastness in the face of overwhelming adversity.
From a Tent Blown by the Wind to a School of Hope
Through collective determination and unwavering perseverance, that modest tent gradually became something far greater.
Today, what began as a simple initiative has grown into the School of Sumud for the Children of Martyrs and Orphans—a recognized educational institution that serves hundreds of boys and girls.
Organized classrooms, wooden desks, and the joyful sounds of learning have replaced the uncertainty of displacement, helping rebuild the future of a generation that risked being lost to war and illiteracy.