Mrs. Najah’s Kitchen: Gaza Emergency Meals
Mrs. Najah, head of Women Programs Center Rafah, runs an emergency food program that delivers hot meals directly to the homes of the poorest families in Rafah, Gaza. Help deliver meals to families in need.
Winner of the GG World Refugee Leaderboard!
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Winner of the GG World Refugee Leaderboard! 〰️
Background
Mrs. Najah Ayash, head of Women Programs Center Rafah (WPCR), feeds families in need in Rafah, Gaza. Three times a week, they cook fresh meals and make home deliveries to 200 families.
Leading WPCR for over 18 years has enabled Mrs. Najah to become a trusted aid and advisor to many Palestinian communities. Adapting to changing needs, WPCR has grown to offer counselling, legal aid, job training, medical services, and more. Rebuilding Alliance helps Mrs. Najah reach the communities of greatest need .
Location: Rafah, Gaza
Project Partner: Women Programs Center Rafah
“The meals you provide are really delicious, I can't afford them because of the high prices in the markets," says Nadia, a beneficiary.
Laila El-Haddad interviews Mrs. Najah about feeding Gaza during the war
“The food is made from the heart, and the smell is so good. It’s even better than our homemade food.” -a beneficiary.
Delivering Meals during the Bombings : Mrs. Najah's Kitchen was quick to respond to the May 2021 bombings and managed to prepare and deliver 1200 hot meals to displaced families taking shelter in UNRWA schools and their relatives' houses, and also to poor people. The program collaborated with activists further north so hot meals could reach families in UNWRA schools.
Delivering Meals during the Pandemic: Since the pandemic, families who were already marginalized are finding it even harder to make ends meet. Mrs. Najah’s Kitchen tries to fill the gap for these families and help households that other organizations don’t reach. Meal deliveries allow Mrs. Najah to check on members of the community and see what other resources they might need. This was especially helpful during COVID lockdowns as some roads were closed to prevent the spread of the virus, leaving many neighborhoods isolated from support.
Delivering Meals during the month of Ramadan: During the month of Ramadan, Mrs. Najah and her staff prepared and delivered meals for 1800 families across many neighborhoods in Rafah: Oriba, Al-Hashash area, Al-Shaboura Refugee Camp, Morag, and Al-Ezba. Mrs. Najah's Kitchen usually delivers in the afternoon. However, because families were fasting for Ramadan, she and her team scheduled their deliveries later in the day so families can break their fasts with the Kitchen's hot meals.
About the Women Programs Center
Mrs. Najah Ayash founded the Women Programs Center Rafah in 2002. The UN-affiliated Center is a resource for women and young girls to take training courses, enjoy sports programs, and access legal and psychological counselling. More than a year ago, Mrs. Najah also started this emergency food program to serve vulnerable families one hot meal a day. She targets a different area each time she delivers so she can serve as many families as possible. Right now, she delivers 3 times a week to 600 families total.