Empowering Communities Through Direct Action

ISNAD believes that aid and development efforts are most effective when led from within the communities they support. We provide equitable access to resources, education, and support to communities in Gaza, Sudan, and beyond.

Image: Two boys in Gaza holding molokheya received from ISNAD

Communities Served

Gaza & Sudan

Direct Aid

100% Transparency

Education

School Tent Project

About Us

Genesis

ISNAD began as a joint effort between Palestinians in Gaza and in the diaspora to fill aid gaps present in the ongoing Gaza Genocide. While traditional aid organizations were able to bring limited supplies across the border, the aid was being sold for inflated prices that the vast majority of the population could not afford, particularly those that needed it most.

ISNAD addressed that by providing targeted funds and efforts to redistribute resources equitably, and has since expanded within Gaza and to Sudan to provide more services and spearhead various development initiatives.

Community members receiving equitable aid distribution in Gaza. A boy holds a carton of eggs.

Mission Statement

At ISNAD, we firmly believe that aid and development efforts are most effective when led from within the communities they support. We are committed to planning and implementing projects that expand equitable access to resources, provide education, and improve quality of life through our on-the-ground directors and team members. These initiatives are materially supported by the fundraising efforts of our international team.

Vision

ISNAD envisions a world where all peoples have the resources and freedom to flourish, free from imperialism and harmful interference. A world where education is liberatory and the collective right to self-determination is fully and justly realized. A world in which we wish the best for our fellow community members, recognizing their freedom, joy, and prosperity as inseparable from our own.

Our Team

Mahmoud Mashayikh

Gaza Director

Gaza director of ISNAD, leading and managing on-the-ground aid and development initiatives. Mahmoud is also a nurse, providing essential health services in Gaza.

Teaching Team profiles to be added soon

Our Work

Aid Distribution

Through fundraising efforts, the ISNAD international team sends money to ISNAD members on the ground, which they use to buy food, water, and other essential resources available in the markets and distribute it equitably among the population.

Sometimes, we directly distribute cash to community members so they can use it for specialized requirements, such as medicines or special occasions.

Two children hold a package of food aid.

Projects

Children study in a school in Gaza.

School Tent

To address the disruption in education caused by the ongoing Gaza Genocide, ISNAD founded a school tent which taught math, science, reading, writing, and Quran. The writing class culminated in a project in which children in Gaza and Sudan exchanged letters and drawings. These letters were compiled into a book.

Learn About Our Book
ISNAD food aid packages including fresh vegetables and oil being prepared.

Famine Relief

At the peak of the famine in Gaza during the ongoing Gaza Genocide, the ISNAD team was able to increase food distribution despite price gouging. Fundraising efforts by the international team raised thousands of dollars for the ISNAD Gaza team to provide food to starving community members that could not afford the elevated prices.

Transparency

In contrast to the opacity that can often plague aid work, ISNAD operates with complete financial transparency, and can provide reports of how money has been circulated within Gaza, complete with photo evidence.

Furthermore, all of our international team members are volunteers—beyond basic operating costs, every cent donated goes directly to the communities that need it most.

Financial transparency documents showing aid distribution records.

Get Involved

Volunteer

ISNAD is always looking for more volunteers to help with international fundraising and support. Sign up to become a part of the team!

Join Our Team

Stories

Success Stories

Children in Gaza hold their completed letters.

Cross-Border Friendship

Through our School Tent project, children in Gaza and Sudan exchanged letters and drawings, creating lasting connections despite the challenges they face. These exchanges have been compiled into a beautiful book showcasing the resilience and hope of these young voices.

Testimonials

"ISNAD's approach to community-led development has made a real difference in our community."
— Community Member, Gaza

Our Book

ISNAD pen pals book cover.

Letters Across Borders

A collection of letters and drawings exchanged between children in Gaza and Sudan through our School Tent project. This book captures the hope, resilience, and friendship that transcends borders and conflict.

Excerpts

"I am Hala Ibrahim. I am 10 years old; I live in the Gaza Strip in the Rafah District. We still know that strong and victorious people are educated. Through education, we will build what the occupation has destroyed and draw the map to future victories. As a Child of Palestine, I have big dreams. I dream of becoming a teacher to teach the children of Palestine to love their country or to be a doctor so that I can treat the broken and wounded of my people or a lawyer to defend the rights of my people in front of the world. If the whole world tried to stop me from learning, I would not let them."

— Letter from Hala Ibrahim, a child in Gaza

Purchase Information

Support our educational initiatives by purchasing this meaningful collection.

Books are currently priced at $60 USD/$85 CAD. All profits go to the children and their families. We are working on finding a publisher to bring these costs down, and increase the margin of donation.

Buy the Book - Email Us!

Contact Us

Email

Get in touch with us directly:

info@isnad.ca

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