Supporting the reconstruction of Palestine through the work of our partners
On October 8, Viva Salud began its fundraising campaign for AWDA, our partner in the Gaza Strip. Soon the extent of Israeli violence became clear, and today, almost a year after the genocide began, AWDA can still use any kind of help. While in the beginning the focus was on emergency aid, such as buying water and medicine, we are now moving back to structural support for AWDA.
Since October 7, AWDA has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Palestinian people. At the risk of their own lives, they remained on the ground in the hospitals that were targeted time and again by Israeli violence. The situation in which they had to work was and still is horrifying. There are shortages of just about everything. Medicine, medical equipment, fuel, drinking water, food, and so on. Through our fundraising efforts, we tried to rid AWDA of some of the needs so that they could work fully for the health of all Gazans.
And quite successfully too. Since October 7, thanks to your support, we have already raised 313,408 euros. An unprecedented amount, which has since reached AWDA, allowing them to continue their daily services. Thanks to all the support they received from Belgium, 2 hospitals and 4 medical centers are still operational today. Their importance is not to be underestimated, as for the more than 2 million inhabitants there are almost no working hospitals left. Even more than that, through the emergency aid of Viva Salud, AWDA is currently building a huge field hospital right next to their hospital in Nuseirat.
For in-depth projects for the future
After almost a year of genocide in Gaza, we must also try to look forward. Israeli violence specifically targets health infrastructure and health workers. The damage in all areas is enormous. If the genocide stopped today, thousands of Gazans would still die in the coming months and years due to the indirect effects of malnutrition, lack of medical care, etc. For example, the medical journal The Lancet calculated that at least 186,000 more Gazans would die in the aftermath of Israeli violence.
That’s why it is imperative that we scale up our assistance to something structural. It will undoubtedly take years to completely rebuild the health system in Gaza. Restoring the destroyed infrastructure is one of the most important tasks AWDA is facing. But we do more than that. Through our support, AWDA can once again provide training to young people, educate communities about the right to health, and so much more in the coming years.
Therefore, Viva Salud continues to support them financially so that they can once again fully commit to the health of every Gazan.
In addition to providing crucial health services, AWDA played and continues to play a very important role in communicating about the genocidal violence in Gaza. AWDA is an important reference for WHO, but also for major newspapers and broadcasters such as Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, … to inform the broad public about the situation and the attacks against the health sector in Gaza. This communication work is definitely crucial, and is also supported by the Viva Salud program. In addition, in the midst of war, they have already given several workshops to children and youth on first aid, mental health, … always with psychosocial assistance present.
Pillars of resistance and solidarity
Today, we also continue to support our other Palestinian partners, Bisan and HWC (Health Work Committees), so that they can resume their work and reorganize communities and groups, document human rights violations, and restore hope to the Palestinian people. Together with AWDA, their work forms a pillar of resistance and solidarity. Your support is crucial to sustain them in this important task. This is how Viva Salud and its partners can resume their work and build a future for the right to health for all in Palestine.
This year, Bisan played a leading role at the Palestinian umbrella organization PNGO, defending the interests of Palestinians and Palestinian social organizations. Bisan also just finished a study on access to health for Palestinian cancer patients, developed several unique papers on the impact of the war on the labor market and the mental health of Palestinians. Their policy work forced the Palestinian Authority to recognize Gaza as a famine zone, and so much more.
As part of the Viva-Salud project, Health Work Committees in 2024 focused on psychosocial support for their target groups. For example, they organized several sessions for young people on post-traumatic stress, as well as on providing first aid psychosocial help for people in disaster situations. This work is of course framed in the context of the escalating violence in the West Bank, mainly in areas such as Jenin, Tulkarem, Tubas and Nablus.
Thank you for your solidarity and support!
Your donations will be primarily used to support the work of Viva Salud and its partners in Palestine.
