Power Outages Send Gaza Children To Study on Streets
Palestinian schoolchildren are using streetlights to do their homework as Gaza's electricity crisis continues.
GAZA CITY — The only refuge Asaad Jabouri, 12, found for doing his homework is under a light post on Market Street in the al-Nuseirat Camp in central Gaza Strip. He came here fleeing the electricity cuts in his neighborhood, about 200 meters from the street.
Jabouri, a sixth-grade student, spread out his books on the sidewalk while vehicles rushed by. He was hurrying to finish his homework and avoid getting home late. After finishing his work, Jabouri took a deep breath and raised his head while still stretched out on the ground.
“I’m finished, now we can talk,” said Jabouri. He sat down on the side of the road to catch his breath. “I come here day after day to do my homework. Sometimes, I choose to sit under a light post, while other times I sit in front of a well-lit shop,” he explained.
Jabouri, who hails from a poor family, is taking afternoon classes at a government school. Classes begin at noon and end at 5 p.m., just as it starts to get dark. He doesn’t have much time to do his homework now that daylight-savings time is ending in the Palestinian Territories, thus shortening the days even further.
