Meet our CBO partner in northern Gaza, feeding families despite everything

Thank you! With your support and assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP), Rebuilding Alliance is providing 51,000 hot meals a day out of 21 kitchens, including three in the north. 

Youth Vision Society, the CBO partner of Rebuilding Alliance in the northern Gaza Strip, has been providing food to their community over the past year despite extremely difficult conditions. The situation in the north has made the already dire humanitarian situation even worse. It was a relief to have a detailed conversation with Iyad, the head of YVS, and his wife Neveen on October 4th, just before the evacuation orders, given the challenges of communicating with people in the north. I asked them to share their journey and challenges from this past year. What they said was truly inspiring. Iyad said, “The sole purpose of our existence is to serve others. As part of this community, it is our duty to help these people. We decided to stay in the north because not many people will stay and help.” 

When discussing the early days of the war, Iyad mentioned that they were able to assist people due to the availability of resources. This enabled them to provide food parcels, warm clothes, and blankets. After the first two months of the war, conditions worsened, and basic necessities such as food became scarce, especially in the northern area of Gaza. Suddenly, people were desperately seeking food for survival. Iyad explained that a large number of people required assistance, while resources were limited. “We made every effort to identify and help as many people and families in need as possible.”

“Most of the international NGOs closed their offices and left for the South.” Iyad said, “The north was left unassisted. I want to thank Rebuilding Alliance for being one of the few international NGOs that stayed functional in the north, opened kitchens, and offered hot meals to people to help them survive, especially during those long months of starvation and harsh winter. Rebuilding Alliance never abandoned us.”

Iyad explained that despite the setbacks and challenges, running a kitchen was the most rewarding experience. The kitchen was opened during a time of starvation when resources were almost nonexistent, and they could not find any food commodities. When they did find food, it was insanely expensive. All these challenges made them more determined to continue their work for people who really needed it.

Iyad said that "the WFP resolved the problem of commodities. They started supplying, which has relieved some of the pressure of finding and buying commodities at the high prices here in the North of Gaza. However, there are still some challenges, such as the availability and quality of spices. The spices are not always available. There is also a scarcity of wood needed for cooking fires, and the wood price is very high. We face these challenges daily, and we are always looking  for solutions.” Neveen added, “Everything that is wooden in Gaza in the North has been used as wood for the fire, including windows and doors.” 

I asked Naveen how they managed to cook and handle everything while under constant bombing. She replied, "We just hope not to die and work. It needs to be done. People need help. We put our fears and our uncertainty aside, and we just do the work every day. If we die, then it's God's will, and we die knowing that we've done good. I don't know how to say it in any other way."

Iyad and Neveen mentioned that the people who receive food from them are regulars and they love the food they are getting. They arrive every day at nine, even before Iyad and Neveen have begun cooking or even lit a fire, asking what is being cooked. These people are waiting in huge numbers and really enjoy the food. One of the women who comes is about 70 years old and has seven granddaughters. She is raising these children because everyone else in her family has passed away and she has no income. Her grandchildren only eat the food from YVS kitchen. Most people who receive food from them live in surrounding areas. Some people have to walk 30 minutes to get food.

YVS is operating two additional kitchens in different areas to reduce the workload. All three kitchens together prepare around 30 pots and about 7000 hot meals. The World Food Programme has supplied essential goods that will last for at least two months, which is a significant achievement considering the scarcity of these items in the market. Neveen mentioned that "the WFP visited our kitchens and commended our work. Although they have been attempting to visit for the past month, their permits have been rejected by Israel."

Speaking about the war, Neveen said, "It's a war in every sense of the word. It's a war on people, their communities, their homes, their resources, their health, and their children. Don't even get me started on education. What pains me the most is that our kids have missed an entire year of school. They've lost a year of their lives. I can live in a tent, but I don't want to risk my children's future without any education. I try to help my children, but it's not enough. They need stability -- emotional and psychological support. They need real teachers and proper institutions. They need safety. Every day, a school is targeted in the north of Gaza. People are afraid to stay in school, let alone send their children there for education.”

Thank you for your support in providing nourishing meals to Gaza families.

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