GSG Resumes Its Communication Again!

Dear Friends and Supporters of Gaza Sky Geeks,

This is our first newsletter since October 2023. Our silence reflects the profound grief of witnessing an ongoing catastrophe unfold in Gaza and deep concern for our Gaza-based team members who are enduring horrific conditions.? All 75 of Mercy Corps’ team members are thankfully alive, though many have suffered immeasurable loss of family members, friends, and homes. Everyone has been displaced several times and access to food, water, medicine, and internet connectivity is uncertain.?

Some GSG team members have managed to leave Gaza, and many others have active GoFundMe campaigns to raise the money to pay the exorbitant fees required to exit Gaza. Our team members who have left Gaza need support in rebuilding their lives in the immediate term, and those who are trying to exit Gaza need support with publicizing their fundraising campaigns. Please reach out if you would like to support any of these initiatives.?

We would also like to share that our GSG family has grown. Two team members had babies during the war on Gaza—baby Farah and baby Elia. We pray for their safety, and for all Gazans to know a life beyond violence.?

We are grateful for the messages of solidarity and concern for the GSG team and community. We keep in touch as much as possible with our Gaza team to share messages of love, solidarity, and prayer from GSG supporters around the world.?

I also want to recognize GSG’s West Bank team of four—Rand, Haneen, Shaden, and Leyan —who have continued to run GSG programs in the West Bank in an increasingly hostile and dangerous environment, while coping with the trauma of seeing their friends and colleagues suffer so much in Gaza. They have taken on additional work to support the Mercy Corps aid program in Gaza.?

It’s with heavy hearts that we have stepped into 2024. All regular GSG programming was immediately paused in October and our focus has shifted to supporting the safety and well-being of our team and their families. Without a permanent ceasefire, we are restricted in what we can do. Moreover, numerous reports indicate that the tech community and infrastructure in Gaza have been specifically targeted. We refuse to further endanger the tech talents in Gaza due to any involvement with GSG activities before a ceasefire is achieved.

Mercy Corps is providing lifesaving assistance in Gaza and ramping up the distribution of essential items to meet urgent needs, including food, hygiene, and household shelter kits.? The limited amount of aid that Mercy Corps and other organizations are currently able to provide in Gaza is nowhere near enough to meet the needs of the population. Once it is safe to operate and deliver the much-needed humanitarian aid in Gaza, GSG team members will be redeployed to work on Mercy Corps Emergency Response activities for the immediate term and will be redeployed back to GSG when we can be active again in Gaza.?

Our donors have all highlighted a desire for us to revive GSG in Gaza when the situation allows and we are grateful for their committed support. Our focus will be to help the large pool of existing tech talent in Gaza get back to earning sustainable livelihoods as quickly as possible. This includes the creation of “pop-up” co-working spaces with internet and laptops in multiple locations across the Gaza Strip, combined with connections to international mentors to provide short refresher tech trainings and psychosocial support. GSG has always been a haven for Gazan tech talent. We remain committed to standing by our beloved community to rebuild Gaza again.?

The situation in the West Bank has also deteriorated severely since October. The West Bank economy has suffered greatly, with Israel revoking permits for tens of thousands of West Bank workers to enter and work in Israel. Due to security concerns, GSG has moved all of its programs in the West Bank to online. We are actively recruiting additional GSG staff to build our capacity to deliver programs across the West Bank, centering around three categories:?

• Capacity building for individuals, specialist tech training and employability assistance.
• Capacity building for tech services companies, specialist tech training and business development skills for employees.
• International market access to help Palestinian individuals and companies secure internships, employment, and work contracts with new markets outside of Palestine. We hope to also assist Palestinian tech talent who have been displaced from Gaza.?

The UNCTAD report released on 31 January, highlights the social and economic deterioration in Gaza since the beginning of the military operation on 7 October 2023. The report quantifies GDP loss, recovery timelines, and the enduring effects on poverty and household expenditure, painting a daunting picture of the development challenges ahead. Even an optimistic scenario shows Gaza's recovery will take over a decade and billions of dollars.

With the support of our donor the UK in Jerusalem, we are drafting a report that evaluates the impact of recent events on Palestinian individuals, companies, and the wider tech ecosystem. This report will guide future campaigns and advocacy efforts, addressing concerns like reputational damage and business disruption to preserve the long-term potential of Palestine's tech sector. Insights from various stakeholders across Palestine have been gathered to foster collaborative strategies for sector rejuvenation.

In 2024, GSG will continue traditional tech training programs, but our immediate and primary focus is to help Palestinian tech talent and tech companies in Gaza and the West Bank secure remote work and income generation. This is where we need your help.

Eager to help?

The road ahead is incredibly tough. We are committed to forging a brighter future, even when it feels like there's little left of the past. Your eagerness to help is deeply appreciated.?

Here's where you can make a difference:

• Stand in solidarity with Palestine?

Please use your voice and platforms to advocate for a permanent ceasefire so that our team members can return to their homes and lives. Write to your representatives and share stories of your experiences with GSG to uplift the humanity of Gaza.

• Connect us to your Market

We need your support in securing remote internships and employment for Palestinian tech talent, and contracts for Palestinian tech companies. Internships empower individuals to increase their skills, to specialize, and to compete globally. Work opportunities break the cycle of aid dependency and inject prosperity into the local economy. Please write to us at [email protected] with help to build connections and partnerships.

During the holy month of Ramadan, we keep Gaza and its people in our thoughts and prayers. We wish for a Palestinian future marked by joy and peace. We are steadfast in our commitment to rebuilding Gaza and eagerly anticipate reuniting with our team members. We thank you for your ongoing support, especially during this dark hour, and remain committed to partnering to make a meaningful difference for the people of Palestine.?

We are pleased that so many people around the world want to help revive the Palestinian tech sector and have created initiatives to unite and connect people to this cause. Here are a few of them??

• Tech 4 Palestine https://techforpalestine.org??
• Palitech Talent https://pali-tech.com?
• MENA Alliances https://menaalliances.com/?
• TAP https://www.tapcareers.io/future?

Donate to our Gazan team members and to MC’s efforts in Palestine

Your generosity can be a lifeline for individuals in Gaza seeking refuge from danger. Whether it's contributing to GoFundMe campaigns by GSG team members, or supporting GSG through MC with financial contributions. Every contribution helps pave the way for a brighter future.

In solidarity,?

Happy Eid

Alan Director at Gaza Sky Geeks, Mercy Corps