Steady Hands: How a Barber's Chair Became a Family's Future

At twenty, Ali survived an attack on his family home and, after losing his father, became the sole provider for his mother and three sisters. Now trained as a barber, he is building a trade of his own. 

Within a tent in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis situated within the southern part of Palestine’s Gaza Strip, twenty-year-old Ali applies shaving foam and draws a razor along a customer's jaw with steadiness. A fan hums gently in the background and natural light spills through the folds of the makeshift barbershop. The reflection in the mirror shows a lineup of customers young and old waiting for fresh haircuts, beard trims, or a relaxing shoulder massage. Ali’s station holds all of the accouterments: a shaving brush with a metal holder, hair wax, scissors, and an orange spray bottle full of fresh water. Ali smiles as he moves the brush in circular sweeps along his customer’s jawline. He moves with ease and smiles in between conversations. It looks like any ordinary day. For Ali, it is one he has had to build. 

On the morning of October 24, 2023, at about 6:40 a.m., Ali woke in complete darkness, unable to breathe. The family home had been targeted in an attack, and he was buried beneath the rubble. Struggling for air, he believed these were his final moments and began to recite the Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith that many hope will be their last words: “I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Rescuers found him, pulled him from the debris, and took him to a hospital for treatment. Ali lost his cousin that day, and several others were wounded. 

After the attack, Ali and his family were forced to flee in search of safety. They moved repeatedly, staying with relatives at times and in tents at others, once in a tent beside their uncle’s home. One day, as Ali’s father was leaving the mosque after the noon prayer, he was struck by shrapnel from a nearby attack. Ali was at the seashore when friends called and urged him to check on his family. When he phoned home, he learned his father had been critically injured. For nine days, his father fought for his life in intensive care. He passed away at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, August 16, 2024. 

With his father gone, Ali suddenly faced responsibilities far beyond his years. At only twenty, he became the sole provider for his mother and three sisters, carrying the family through displacement, loss, and severe economic hardship. What Ali needed was a way to turn that responsibility into a livelihood, and a skill he could call his own.  

When Zakat Foundation of America announced the vocational barbering course in the orphan camp where Ali lives, he registered eagerly. He was selected following an interview in which he showed strong motivation, a willingness to learn, and the potential to succeed. Ali chose barbering because he wanted a practical skill that would help him earn a living, support his family, and build a better future. 

Through Zakat Foundation of America's Barbering Initiative, Ali enrolled in a 10-week professional barbering course alongside nine other orphaned youth. The course ran for 28 training sessions from May 16 to July 25, 2026, at Adam Academy in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. This initiative is geared at building the vocational capacity of young men to help them secure sustainable livelihoods. Participants learned the safe use, maintenance, and sterilization of tools; personal hygiene and workplace safety; haircutting with clippers and scissors, including blending and fade techniques; classic and modern hairstyles; beard and moustache grooming; hair and scalp care; and professional conduct. On completion, each received an official certificate from the training institute and a barbering toolkit. 

Delivering the training was no small task. Dr. Rasheed Alqeeq, Gaza Team Leader at Zakat Foundation of America, explains: “Completing this training involved considerable logistical and technical challenges. Creating a suitable learning environment in a community still suffering from war, displacement, life in tents, and the lack of basic infrastructure was extremely difficult. Securing training supplies and barbering toolkits was also a major challenge because restrictions on imports and border crossings had severely limited their availability in the local market.” 

For Ali, the first customer marked a beginning. “Serving my first customer was a wonderful experience,” he says. “It felt like opening a door to a more stable future, where I could stand on my own feet and take responsibility for my family.” 

Ali sees what a fresh cut can do for a customer. “When a customer sits in my chair, I want him to leave feeling better than when he arrived. Life here is exhausting, and sometimes a fresh haircut and a friendly conversation can give someone a little confidence again. Seeing a customer smile makes me proud. It reminds me that I have a skill that can make a difference.” 

Training is a beginning, and Ali's family still needs steady income, regular food, secure shelter, and psychosocial support. The obstacles do not end at graduation. For Ali and his fellow graduates, significant barriers remain. “The lack of electricity, the scarcity of barbering supplies, and their high cost make it difficult to sustain their work,” says Dr. Alqeeq. “Even a broken clipper can prevent a graduate from continuing to practice.” 

His assessment is plain: “Continued follow-up and practical support are essential to help them build on the skills they have gained.” 

Ali is one of 10 orphaned youth who completed the Barbering Initiative. At follow-up conducted between September 17 and 29, 2026, seven of the ten graduates, Ali among them, were practicing barbering. 

Ali hopes to grow his work. “My dream is to grow my work and provide a better life for my family,” he says. 

At the end of the day at Al-Mawasi, Ali cleans his tools and tidies his station, thinking about what he did well and what he still needs to learn, one step further toward the future he is building for his mother and sisters. Thank you for standing with Ali and his family. Your generosity helped turn a barber’s chair into a livelihood and a future.