Gaza Refugee Girl Defies Israeli Blockade through Sculpture

Gaza Refugee Girl Defies Israeli Blockade through Sculpture

Ranna Al Rimlawi 24 years-old passionately works on one of her sand sculptores at her home in Gaza City, Gaza. © 2019 UNRWA Photo by Ibrahim Abu Usheeba

Despite the challenges wrought by the 13-year Israeli blockade, 24-year old Palestine refugee from Gaza Ranna AlRamlawi managed to create a window of hope through art. Her fierce determination to overcome her challenges led her to turn her frustration and anger into expression through the creation of sand sculptures.

Revealing the details of Ranna’s success stories, UNRWA said that her father suffers from Parkinson's disease, leaving him unable to move or work. Ranna’s mother is a teacher at an UNRWA school in the besieged strip. One of nine children, Ranna was unable to complete a university education because of the tough financial straits her family was in.

“I always loved to draw but was too shy and private to display my talent. One day I was so angry and sad that I went out into the yard. It was a rainy day and I started playing with the wet sand around me. Later, my family and I were really excited at the final product!” Ranna recalled.

“My sculptures symbolize a message of resistance and tell the story of my peoples’ suffering and loss. This is my main goal; to keep the plight of Palestine refugees alive,” she explains.

The blockade on the Gaza Strip limits access to goods and materials that could improve and enhance Ranna’s skills. Also, due to her limited financial means, Ranna cannot afford preservative materials for her sculptures. Now, every time she has a new idea, Ranna has to recycle an older sculpture because she doesn’t have enough preservative material to keep both sculptures.

“Sometimes a sculpture can take me up to three days to finish a sculpture. I’ve found myself forced to destroy an older one to build a new one because space and materials are limited. It’s very painful. It consumes physically and psychologically. I wish I could keep them all,” Ranna added.

Ranna, like other Gazan youth, has successfully developed her talent and potential, against the odds. “Sculpting is my friend, the only way to express all of my anger, frustration and energy. I hope to one day find support to develop this talent and to participate in international exhibitions,” Ranna said.

“Sometimes I feel so connected to these sculptures, every single one is unique and embodies memory or a state of mind of mine as I worked on it,” Ranna added.

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