Hope Beyond Borders: Yalla's Gaza Crisis Fund

Summary

Yalla Cooperative is a web design and development agency founded and owned by members in Gaza, the UK, and the EU. We are raising emergency funds to support our team in Gaza so they can afford the essentials needed for survival right now, and rebuild their lives when the war ends.

Who we are

We set up Yalla with a desire to use technology to transcend borders and empower a diverse and inclusive community that strives to create a fairer world in the way we work and in what we build. We specialise in working with charities and non-profits, building digital tools that can drive positive social change.

In Gaza, coding has been so much more than a job skill. For a community facing years of hardship, and limitations, it has offered a lifeline of hope, a window to a world beyond physical barriers offering a chance to work with and learn from diverse communities.

The situation

In Gaza, where winter brings more than just cold weather, half of our team is confronting a stark reality. With their families, they've had to leave their homes, not once but repeatedly, in a bid to find safety away from the incessant bombings. Many of their homes have been destroyed and they have lost nearly everything. Now, they are part of a staggering 1.9 million people squeezed into an area no larger than Heathrow Airport, struggling daily to secure basic necessities and a place to stay.

The present circumstances represent only a small fraction of the broader picture. It is crucial to remember that even if miraculously a permanent ceasefire was called tomorrow, the struggles of people in Gaza will go on. The basic tools our team needs to rebuild their lives – laptops, solar panels, generators – have all been lost.

In a context where survival is a daily uncertainty, work might seem inconsequential. Yet, for our colleagues and friends in Gaza, work is not just a job. They are driven, inspiring individuals who took immense pride in collaboratively shaping an organization like Yalla from the ground up. Work has been a way to overcome the countless obstacles presented to them by the ongoing blockade and to create something where they have agency and build a better life for those around them. As one colleague recently expressed, “We are normal people who crave a normal life - a safe place to work and to build a future for ourselves and my daughter.” This is the reality we aim to support through our efforts and your contributions.

Why we are running this campaign

Our organisation is deeply committed to supporting our team, prioritising the continuation of their salaries until the point Yalla cannot afford to exist anymore. However, we are just a small agency and, for any company, if you lose half your team you are going to struggle. While assistance programmes and government support are sometimes provided during moments of crisis - whether that be Covid or other wars like in Ukraine - this appears to be another area where Palestinians are sadly forgotten.

We also know that our fellow members will need so much more as they look to rebuild homes and buy the equipment needed to return and once more work together towards our shared goals. We are determined to keep Yalla not just operational, but in a position of strength that can provide the support our team need. This determination was echoed by a colleague in Gaza who, in the midst of personal hardship, said: “Keep Yalla’s vision alive until we can work towards a fairer world again.” His words are a powerful reminder of our purpose and the impact we strive to make.

So we now are seeking to raise emergency funds to provide immediate relief. By contributing to this, you are contributing to people to keep their dream alive, and enable them to rebuild their lives.

Fundraising Objectives

Our target is to gather £120,000, which will be allocated as follows: