GAZA  CITY, Gaza Strip —  In cash-stripped Gaza, opportunities are few for a youth band. There aren't many festivals and sponsors, and instruments are either not available or too expensive, and even a studio to practice may be a luxury.

Yet Sol Band, a youth band, has not only managed to make their mark, but they also help other budding musicians at the music school they opened in Gaza City.

“Sol Band was formed in 2012,” said Majd Antar, 23, the coordinator of Sol Band. “Although we were young and had little experience and money, our shows had a good turnout. We just gathered and performed simple music shows. We participated in a special event at the French Cultural Center in 2015; we did not get any money but we became better known.”

In 2016, the band members opened the Sayed Darwish music school in a building owned by Salam Sarour, a composer and the father of the band’s keyboard player, Saeid Fadel. They use the ground floor both as a studio and a school, which they named after the Egyptian singer of the early 20th century known for experimenting with different music styles. Sayed Darwish school offers music lessons to various age groups, including children, free of charge. When it was first opened 10 students had signed up. Within three months, the number of students rose to 36, half of whom were girls. Today, the school has more than 60 students and has a reputation of supporting talented young musicians, including Nana Ashour, who is known as the drummer girl of Gaza.