Supporting local communities’ own crisis response in Gaza

DCA/NCA Palestine

While humanitarian access to Gaza remains severely restricted, local Gazan communities are designing and leading their own response to the on-going crisis. DCA/NCA and partners provide direct support to such efforts, while ensuring that the work is being conducted in a safe and efficient manner.

The Issue

Since October 2023, humanitarian access to Gaza has faced unprecedent levels of restrictions on humanitarian aid and movement. Borders and crossing points in and out of Gaza have been reduced to an absolute minimum, severely disrupting civilians’ access to essential services and humanitarian relief efforts. At the same, need for aid and assistance is at an all-time high in the tiny land-strip which is being subjected to an unprecedent level of violence, rendering the civilian population in dire needs across all sectors and aspects.

The Project

With humanitarian access to Gaza extremely limited, local communities are stepping up to meet urgent needs themselves. DCA/NCA, together with MA’AN Development Center and the Palestine Center for Human Rights, is supporting nearly 65 volunteer community groups across Gaza to design and lead their own Community-Led Initiatives (CLI).

These groups, made up of everyday civilians, are trained to identify the most pressing local risks and needs, and to respond using their own skills, knowledge, and resources. In open meetings, community members decide together which challenges to prioritize. They then submit simple project proposals, and DCA/NCA and partners provide support through training, procurement of supplies, or community grants.

This flexible and inclusive approach ensures full ownership and transparency at the local level. It has enabled communities to launch a wide range of life-saving and dignity-enhancing projects, including:

Distribution of fresh food packages
Repair of sewage systems and installation of mobile toilets
Creation of safe water systems using solar power
Educational and recreational spaces for children

By placing communities at the center, this project helps people not only survive—but reclaim a sense of control and hope in the midst of crisis.

The Change

Due to its community-led and multisectoral approach, these projects are supporting communities in taking charge of their own crisis’ response on a day-to-day basis. Community groups are being trained and coached in how to lead community initiatives, including the accountable and safe management of cash grants and procured material and supplies. In a time where needs are high and diverse, the communities themselves are providing direct and life-saving support through these initiatives ensuring needs are being met across a range of different sectors.

Three Cases of Community-Led Initiatives:

Camp residents build sanitation with dignity

In overcrowded Al-Isteqama Camp, where thousands live in makeshift tents, residents came together to fix a critical need: sanitation. Together, the community built a sewage system for the urgent need of vulnerable group.

A safe space for children to learn and play

In Al-Masmia Camp, a group of dedicated residents created an “educational tent” for nearly 400 children. With kind hearts, they turned a shared vision into a space where kids can keep learning and play freely.

Local volunteers fight hunger in Gaza

From Khan Younis to Deir al Balah, dedicated volunteers have led powerful initiatives to deliver fresh food and restore vital sanitation services. These local efforts have brought relief to over 3,200 people.

Results

Since October 2023, DCA/NCA and partners has reached 96,161 people through direct support to community-led responses in Gaza. A total of 63 volunteer community groups are identified, and by the end of 2024 38 of them were in the implementation phase of their community led initiatives, while the remaining 25 were in the mobilisation phase receiving trainings and guidance.