Le organizzazioni operanti a Gaza sono fondamentali per la sopravvivenza della popolazione, fornendo pasti, medicine e altri beni di prima necessita. Tuttavia non riescono a coprire tutti i bisogni di ogni famiglia. Ogni nucleo familiare ha esigenze diverse: gli anziani necessitano di cure, i bambini hanno bisogno di latte e pannolini, alcuni membri possono essere malati cronici o persone con disabilita. Per questo motivo il sostegno diretto alle famiglie é altrettanto importante quanto le donazioni alle organizzazioni. I due tipi di aiuti sono complementari, poiché le famiglie devono occuparsi dei bisogni specifici dei loro membri che le organizzazioni non possono soddisfare completamente.

ATMs in Gaza have long stopped working, but some banks remain open, allowing people to carry out basic banking operations, including receiving international bank transfers. For months, people have been suffering from a lack of cash, but they have adapted by creating informal credit systems and using e-banking apps or e-wallets such as PalPay, the Palestinian equivalent of PayPal.

Family fundraising campaigns are managed by La Comune APS. La Comune collects and transfers the funds via bank transfer to Vento di Terra ETS, which in turn sends the donations to the families’ PalPay e-wallets. Once the donations arrive, families use the money to buy food, water, wood, or medicine and baby milk, when available. Purchases are documented with photos and video messages. Donations collected through the project’s collective campaign are used to purchase food parcels distributed to all families, as well as to Vento di Terra ETS collaborators and other families in need. Collective donations have also been used to cover surgical operations and medical expenses, as well as to buy tents and fund a programme to treat malnutrition.

Humanitarian aid deliveries are slowly resuming, but for now they do not reach the entire population evenly. Access to aid remains limited and irregular. Meanwhile, families’ needs are increasing, and donations remain crucial to meet essential needs such as food and medical care. In particular, our donations allow us to support the specific needs of each family, including care for older people, children, and people with disabilities.

Virtual currency is not always accepted, and at times certain goods can only be bought with cash, meaning the exchange rate can significantly affect final costs. In the past, this rate has fluctuated between 20% and 40%, depending on circumstances. With the ceasefire, it is expected that the rate will drop and that virtual currency will be accepted by all merchants.

The idea behind the project is to strengthen existing mutual aid networks. Since families form the core of civil society in Gaza, we decided to work directly with some of them so they could, in turn, help other families. Through this approach, we have added five more families to the original group of ten, and extended certain actions, such as the distribution of food parcels, to many more households. Our goal is to create a network that supports as many people as possible — going beyond mere survival towards the strengthening and cohesion of the social fabric, which has been severely tested by hunger and deprivation.