April 22, 2026
News
As a little girl, Rafah learned what it felt like not to have her own freedom. She was born with cerebral palsy and a foot disability. As a result, she was unable to move without her family’s help. Her mother had to carry her everywhere, and Rafah could not play with her peers. With the beginning of the war in Gaza, her family was displaced to a refugee centre, where she received support from Caritas Czech Republic. Our social worker provided her with psychosocial assistance and arranged for her to receive a wheelchair, so she could become more independent. This story, with a happy ending, is about a girl who did not lose her brave spirit despite war or health difficulties.
Dependent on family’s support
Rafah comes from a family of seven. Since birth, she faced delays in her development, particularly in walking and speaking. As a result, she spent a lot of time in the hospital, which greatly burdened her family. When she grew up, she became ashamed that her mother had to carry her everywhere and always be with her. She wished to be independent and to have the opportunity to play freely with other children.
Photo: Rafah's mother had to carry her everywhere
When the conflict in Gaza began, her life became even more complicated. Her family was displaced many times. Eventually, they found shelter at the Tal Al-Hawa Preparatory School, where a refugee centre was established by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). There, a counsellor noticed Rafah and recommended that she receives support. As a result, she met our social worker, who provides psychosocial assistance to the residents of Gaza. Rafah and our colleague began to meet regularly.
Photo: The shelter in the local school
With Caritas on the path towards her own independence
They met for the first time the day before Rafah’s surgery. At that point, she was unable to move on her own, and her mother had to carry her. Our worker painted her face with a cat mask to give her a little joy and helped her integrate with other children.
After the surgery, Rafah also started physiotherapy. Those sessions were causing her pain and distress, which is why her mother and our worker agreed to meet immediately after her physiotherapy sessions ended, to help Rafah cope better.
Photo: Rafah after surgery
In addition to psychosocial support, our colleague, in cooperation with Tariq Al-Salama Association, obtained a wheelchair for Rafah, enabling her to move independently. This marked the end of several years of physical burden for the whole family. For the first time in her life, the girl could meet her peers at eye level. She began to participate in activities with other children at the centre and also joined the local learning point. The wheelchair became her “wings”.
Photo: Rafah and her new wheelchair
This wheelchair did not just lift a physical burden off my body; it lifted the despair off my daughter’s heart,
her mother explained. Moreover, through the UNRWA clinic, Rafah will receive medical shoes, which were also arranged by Caritas’s social worker. She told us we should have seen the happiness in her eyes when they went to pick the correct shoe size together. Her fear was replaced by a spark of independence and freedom.
Today, I am no longer just carrying Rafah on my back; I am carrying her dreams of one day walking on her own,
her mother says. Rafah will start wearing the shoes once her physiotherapy ends. So far, she has made great progress. Her well-being has also improved, which is why our social worker concluded their meetings. We received a message saying that she is doing well. She has integrated with her peers, is not shy, and has made friends. She joins the children´s educational and recreational activities at the refugee centre.
At her young age, she managed to overcome obstacles that would be overwhelming even for an adult. In addition to health problems, she lost her home and spent her childhood amid war. Yet we close her story by noting that she is learning, playing with other children, and is happy.
Caritas Czech Republic in Gaza
Caritas Czech Republic has been operating in Gaza for several years. In the past, we collaborated with Caritas Jerusalem and the organisation Juzoor, both of which contribute to improving local medical care. We continue to support the organisation Sawa, which offers its services to people in Gaza through a crisis hotline. We also provide important individual assistance to people navigating difficult life circumstances in a war-affected community.
