Suad Lubbad, 55, is a programme officer for American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera), the largest American NGO operating in Gaza and the West Bank.
What were you doing before 7 October?
I was living in north Gaza, in a neighbourhood called Tel al-Hawa. My life was going very well. There was routine for me and my kids. One of my sons had just graduated from university and was planning to look for a job. The other son was about to graduate. He had started his last semester in university, but never completed it. My daughter was in high school.
And what were you doing in your work?
I was responsible for a project called Farms to Fosool [fosool is Arabic for classrooms]. We were providing preschoolers with a healthy daily breakfast. I was responsible for a staff of six women. We were supporting female empowerment by providing equipment and tools to women to prepare the meals, which we would then buy from them and distribute to the children. We were getting the vegetables from local farmers who were being supported by Anera and other projects.
