GAZA: The rise in charity during Ramadan helps to alleviate the harsh economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, particularly for the most vulnerable.

The initiatives involve individuals, various official charities and groups of people seeking to make a difference in the lives of the poor.

The Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Foundation is among several organizations that provide tens of thousands of vouchers which can be used at most commercial stores. There are other bodies that distribute food baskets.

Interviewed at a store, Radwa Mahmoud, 62, said. “I received a voucher and I am here to choose the things I need. This is the third time that I have received a voucher over the past years. This is a smart and useful step. It helps us choose our needs (properly).”

“The economic conditions in Gaza are very difficult, we need constant assistance, but during Ramadan, the aid clearly increases. We hope that this aid will be throughout the year and not only in Ramadan,” she told Arab News.

During the month of Ramadan, the aid includes food parcels, cash, vouchers and children’s clothing.

In the Gaza Strip, poverty and unemployment are rising because of the Israeli blockade. For several years now 80 percent of Gazan families have had to depend on foreign aid, with over 250,000 people unemployed, or 50 percent of the working population. Seventy percent of the population live in poverty.

Many of these families depend on Ramadan when there is an increase in cash and other support which helps relieve their difficult living conditions.

The Assembly of Charitable Organizations in Gaza stated in a press release that about 150,000 families have been identified for special support in Ramadan, and aid is expected to reach them before the end of the month. An estimated 220,000 families need regular support, the organization stated.

The organization seeks to coordinate and administer all charity drives to ensure the aid reaches beneficiaries and to achieve transparency, integrity and fair distribution.

Fadi Khalil and members of his hospice initiative, consisting of nine people, provide daily meals, medical support and electricity for 2,000 poor families, particularly those whose breadwinners suffer from debilitating illnesses such as cancer and kidney failure.

Khalil relies on Facebook as the first way to reach those wishing to donate financially, support poor patients, or even communicate with those who need urgent help.

He said Ramadan was particularly special in terms of the increase in philanthropic initiatives, and there was a “luster” to the work carried out in Gaza.

Zaki Madoukh, who also works in the field, said that there are nearly 2,000 individuals and organizations assisting with these initiatives in Ramadan, providing food, cash, medicine and other support.

Madoukh said the holy month sees more people willing to make donations, often double the amount of the entire rest of the year, which also places extra responsibility on organizations to distribute the aid effectively.