By Sanaa Aijaz
When I first moved into my new neighborhood, I was mostly focused on settling in—setting up routines and helping my two young daughters adjust to a new home. Like many mothers, my world revolves around the beautiful chaos of raising my children.
Not long after, a new neighbor invited me over for coffee to welcome me to the area. That’s when I met Amina. I had known her for some time as the founder of an NGO- Bloom Charity- that supports marginalized and vulnerable children around the world.
Our conversation began casually, but as she spoke about her work, something shifted. As a mother, it was impossible not to listen differently. BLOOM focuses on mental health, nutrition, early childhood development, and education, with active programs and partners in Gaza, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The
organization has also created 12 recreational spaces in orphanages and underserved communities, including Morocco’s first fully handicap-accessible playground,
Amina spoke about BLOOM’s current focus on Gaza—where widespread displacement, malnutrition, and trauma continue to shape every aspect of childhood. Through its partnership with Hayat, BLOOM has been providing daily hot meals, potable water, fresh produce, clothing, and essential supplies. To date, the organization has delivered over 1.5 million meals in Gaza.
I remember going home that day and watching my daughters play. Their laughter, their sense of safety, it all felt more vivid, more precious. But alongside that came a quiet discomfort. What began as discomfort slowly turned into connection. The more I learned about BLOOM’s work, the more I saw how deeply motherhood ties us all together—across borders, cultures, and circumstances.
In the year 2024, BLOOM launched a focused maternal, newborn, and child health initiative: From Bump to Bloom: Healthy Moms, Happy Babies. The program provides infant formula, prenatal vitamins, and lactation support, alongside mental health and psychosocial support for mothers and children. It also distributes hygiene kits and clothing, led on the ground by two remarkable female nurses.
According to the United Nations and the local health authorities in Gaza, there are approximately 1 million children in Gaza, and nearly all require mental health and psychosocial support. Most have been displaced since the start of the conflict in October 2023. The normal markers of childhood are gone- replaced by hunger, fear and all-consuming trauma.
Viral internet clips of young kids engaging in pretend play- reenacting scenes of burial processions, a regular day at school, or trying to remember what good food looked like by shaping wet sand into imaginary meals flood our social media reels. The tragic truth is that in today’s Gaza, this kind of make-believe is as close as many children come to experiencing a normal life.
At least 56,000 children have lost one or both parents. Many now live in encampments created by local volunteers to care for those orphaned by war. The need is staggering. BLOOM with its enrichment programs, and in partnership with local organizations has raised over 1 million dollars and served over 1.5 million hot meals in Gaza.
Through trained staff on the ground, BLOOM conducts weekly psychosocial support sessions rooted in the belief that play and creative expression are powerful tools for healing.
Through its enrichment programs, BLOOM works to restore moments of childhood—offering activities such as swimming, biking, yoga, music, dance, artstherapy, and even beach excursions. These experiences create space for joy, imagination, and emotional release.
Drama and play, in particular, become vital tools for healing. They allow childrento express emotions they do not yet have words for, to process fear and loss, andto step into different roles—helping them reconnect with a sense of safety,creativity, and possibility in a supportive environment.
Today, when I think about my move to this new neighborhood, I no longer see it as just a change of address. It was the beginning of a journey—one that gently pulled me beyond my immediate world and connected me to something much larger. It felt like a natural extension of something already within me.
Sanaa Aijaz is a young homemaker, wife, and mother to two little girls, with the heart of a storyteller and the curiosity of a journalist from a past life. An art seeker, passionate about travel, beautifully designed spaces, and the art of bringing people together through thoughtfully curated events and interiors. Drawn to meaningful conversations, culture, aesthetics, and community. Also, a novice mahjong player — still learning the tiles, but fully enjoying the ritual, laughter, and friendships that come with the game.