Hatem Shurrab is a public relations officer in the Palestine office of Islamic Relief. A key part of his job is to use the media to raise awareness of what life is like in the Gaza Strip.

What do you do?
I work for Islamic Relief (IR), an international NGO established and based in the UK
which aims to alleviate the suffering of the world’s poorest people. It has 13 field offices around the world, including the one in which I work – in the Gaza Strip in the
Palestinian Territories. As a public relations officer, my role is to raise awareness of IR’s activities in Palestine, highlighting the humanitarian problems we are trying to help solve. The situation here is extremely tense.

What do you most enjoy about your job?
Islamic Relief Palestine runs projects to help the physically disabled and children who have suffered trauma. I love to witness the positive impact of these projects on those who have benefited; I love to see them smile!

What is the greatest challenge that you face in your role?
Unfortunately, most news coverage doesn't describe what is actually going on in Gaza. The plight of poor families here is worse than what is reported by the media, and the ambitions of young people are not given enough attention. Young people in my region are very enthusiastic about achieving progress in life, but because the future is unclear they are unable to plan for their own futures. There are many young people eager to work for relief and peace in Palestine, but their energies are not being exploited. They need to be supported in order to bring out their enthusiasm and use it for building bridges and establishing peace. One big issue for me personally is traveling abroad. I had planned this year to go to Switzerland to take a course in conflict resolution but I wasn’t able to travel as the Gaza border crossings were closed. This also stopped me from participating in a UN programme for Palestinian media practitioners. It makes you feel like you live in a big cage called the Gaza Strip.

What inspires you to do what you do?
I was raised in Gaza. I have seen up close the way that the poor suffer. Living among them, and striving to help make a difference in their lives, is what keeps me going. I want one day to see justice and prosperity in Palestine and all religions and ethnicities united in peace.

What did you do to get to where you are today?
I previously worked in journalism and for Caritas Jerusalem as a communications assistant. I studied English literature at the Islamic University of Gaza and recently represented Palestine at the United Nations Global Youth Leadership Summit at the UN in New York. I have also taken various courses at the British Council in Gaza, and have made good contacts with ministers, local leaders and many remarkable people.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement or most rewarding experience in your career to date?
I consider it a great achievement to talk to the media to help give an accurate picture of the situation here. And, as I said earlier, making a deprived child happy is unbelievably rewarding!

What advice do you have for other young professionals wanting a similar role/career to yours?
First, set your goals; second, believe in them. Then, just go forward. Good intentions
with good deeds can reach very far.

Are there any actions YPN members could take to support your work?
I hope some of your members are able to come to Gaza for themselves. They could also write to their MPs to make sure they know that people in Gaza are suffering every day and that urgent action is needed to resolve the crisis.