A little boy in Gaza desperately needed medicine, and our friend Hammam shared the call for help. I turned to my husband and asked, "Is there any way we can get medicines into Gaza?"
We had a few connections in the aid world, but we didn’t have a clear plan, just a strong sense that we had to do something.
Our first hurdle was sourcing the medicine.
Despite tapping into pharmacies in Egypt via contacts in Canada, we couldn’t find what we needed. Eventually, we discovered the medication was available in Canada, but the cost was steep: $1,000 for a three-month supply!!
Still, we decided to try. We reached out to family and friends, collecting enough donations to buy six months' worth of medicine. Through our connections, we managed to purchase it in Canada and ship it to Egypt.
But getting the medicine into Gaza posed an entirely new challenge. In Egypt, we had no idea where to go or who to meet. We scrambled to find someone to collect the package from the airport and deliver it to a group heading to Gaza. Meanwhile, I was trying to build new connections in Gaza with people I didn’t know - just to find a safe drop-off point. Eventually, someone agreed to pick up the package in Rafah and drive it to the church in the north. The journey was dangerous. The roads were under bombardment, and the driver risked his life to deliver the package.
This loosely strung web of helpers became what we came to call the "whisper network." Each person played their part without even knowing who the next link in the chain was. Everyone just wanted to help. It was entirely informal, people passing messages and supplies along, just trying to make something good happen. That medicine passed through the hands of about ten people, most of whom had never met each other.
The smile on Rayyan’s face made every frustration and challenge worth facing!
What began as a one-time effort didn’t stop there.
Soon after, more people reached out through Hammam and friends, and we managed several more shipments. That’s when Sarah got involved too, and together we formalized our efforts into what became the Elham Fund.
With the Fund, we were able to do more: send not just medicines, but also diapers, blankets, shampoo and even coordinated to bring in equipment for hospitals before the borders closed.
Then the borders closed.
We were stuck, unable to get supplies in, with funds we had raised sitting idle. That’s when we pivoted. We started using cash transfers. Families could decide what they needed whether it was food, medicine, or anything else—and buy it directly. It gave them dignity, and the model worked. People loved that we were small, transparent, and deeply personal in how we operated. They trusted us because they knew us. There was no overhead, just donations going straight to people.
What still amazes me is how it all came together: this fragile but powerful network of ordinary people who had never met, risking their safety or simply offering a hand. We aren’t a massive aid agency. Even people in Gaza who didn’t know each other stepped up to help one another. They really are amazing people.
Looking back, I still can't believe how we did it. But we did.
We continue to operate with the same spirit - direct, dignified, and deeply personal support to families in Gaza. If this story moved you, please consider donating. Every dollar goes straight to a family in need. No overhead, just impact. Join our whisper network.
Be the reason someone gets the help they need.
Until Palestine is Free,
Rana,
Co-founder of the Elham Fund
Selim Tlili,
Co-writer and editor
Hammam Farah,
Executive Director of the Elham Fund and writer
The Elham Fund is a Palestinian-led Canadian non-for-profit.
To date the Elham Fund has raised and distributed over CAD $135,000 in direct cash transfers, delivered needed supplies inaccessible through other means, and provided lifesaving chronic medications.
If you would like to make a gift today to support families existing and resisting genocide, please visit elhamfund.ca.