Paul Calvert spoke with Poive Mumba

Poive: Something that we were talking about in the ministry of education, they were wondering why the children were not learning anything, so we tried to explain that they cannot learn because of this kind of trauma happening; they have to think about everything that happened and help them to cope with their mental health and with society and the community.

Paul: What were things like before the war?

Poive: Not very much better because of the ongoing conflict situation; it's been like this 20 years but people said that this war last January was the worst and it caused the biggest damage than before.

Paul: Psychological damage as well as physical?

Poive: Yes and also to the infrastructure like houses and roads and cars; so it was all over.

Paul: You are going into Gaza all the time, is it easy getting into Gaza? What sort of things do you have to do to get in?

Poive: Firstly I have to ask permission to get into Gaza, which took about five weeks before I got it. After that I can go in, but it is like a small airport to get into the Gaza Strip. We have to open all the bags, they check the passport and they stamp the passport at the crossing point, the Erez crossing point. It takes a lot of time, it's very complicated.

Paul: Is it safe to go into Gaza? We have seen reports in the past where Hamas have been fighting with Fatah on the streets of Gaza.

Poive: I feel it is safe. I haven't seen any kind of fighting but I am hearing guns every day. Sometimes there is shelling from the sea and aeroplanes are bombing. It is a very big sound at night. I hear the sounds every day but I feel safe.

Paul: So even though the war has finished there are things going on?

Poive: All the time it is going on.

Paul: Now what's life like on the ground for the typical Palestinian? We all know the Gaza Strip is the most densely populated area on the face of the earth. Do they have the basic means to live and survive?

Poive: I think more than half the people have, but those who lost a house don't have. There are still people living in bombed out houses in tent areas. They lost their houses and all their belongings and the work situation is quite bad; about 80% of the people don't have work. If they lost their agriculture it means no food, so at least half the people need the basic things for living.

Paul: I know that the United Nations is helping with that, but the people who lost a house, are they living on the street or living in tents, where are they staying?