Dr Saffia Jacobs and Dr Zaheera Soomar are both South African and strong advocates of Palestine, since they were very young. 

Over the past 18 months, they have been very active in advocacy, activism and humanitarian assistance to Gaza, amidst the genocide. 

Dr Zaheera has led many humanitarian trips to Egypt and Jordan over the past year to raise money and offer support to displaced Palestinians. These efforts have provided relief to over 5000 Palestinians through food, shelter, education, healthcare, medical treatments and resources. 

Both Dr Saffia and Dr Zaheera have been actively raising funds (>$300 000) and supporting various initiatives. In January 2025, they travelled to Gaza Refugee camp in Jerash, Jordan together. They spent a week supporting the Hopes Foundation in supporting Palestinians from Gaza to rebuild their lives in the way of medical support, education, training and development. Shortly after that, they visited West Bank and Jerusalem to get a first hand experience of the impact of the occupation taking place. 

This Ramadan, they have teamed up to raise funds for 3 causes, each providing critical and needed support to refugees in Egypt and Jordan. All donations are fully zakaat eligible. All 3 organizations are registered NGOs and have been vetted and submitted audits per NGO requirements. The funds raised will be split equally across the 3 organizations:

1: Hopes Foundation - Jordan

Hopes for Development's our mission is to empower individuals in impoverished communities to build better futures. They do this by providing access to education, vocational opportunities, and holistic support—including social, economic, and psychological assistance.

Driven by their commitment to detail, they aim to help teams and individuals thrive, regardless of their size or resources. Their main facilities and team based is in Jerash Refugee Camp (“Gaza Camp”) in Jerash, Jordan (45 min from Amman). This facility aims to serve the ~40 000 refugees from Gaza, housed in the camp. 

Hopes is a registered organization in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that has been operating since 2010. For over 15 years, the nonprofit has worked directly with Palestinian refugee women and youth to provide educational scholarships, training, capacity building and language programs for students. In recent years, we've expanded our operations to include young men into the programming of the organization. We believe that by creating inclusive safe and supportive environments we can empower and promote communities that will thrive. By creating opportunities towards sustainable livelihood, we focus on empowering refugee youth on thinking of the box, providing them with the psychosocial support that they require to face the challenges of the world around them. Hopes has supported over 200+ scholarships over the years including impacted over 2000+ refugee youth community members in the Jerash Refugee Camp in Jordan. 

2. Laud Al Auda - Egypt

Laud Al Auda is a Spanish-Palestinian led grass roots NGO that is based in Egypt. It was born during the genocide and aims to bring relief efforts to those impacted. Their programs cover support to Palestinians in both Gaza and Egypt. Since the ceasefire, they have been successfully getting aid into Gaza, from Egypt.

Their main programs are:

The Little Schools Program offers educational access to over 200 children, ensuring not only the continuity of education but also fostering resilience and joy in the lives of children impacted by conflict. This program significantly enhances their development and provides hope for the future. The program operates with 13 teachers and child entertainers. The minimum monthly cost for maintaining three schools is $3,000, covering teacher salaries and space rental.

The Life Relief Cairo Program has been essential in supporting displaced Palestinian families, assisting them in navigating the challenges of displacement by addressing their basic needs and offering financial relief. Since March 2024, we have been assessing and visiting nearly 4,000 families, with 500 families receiving monthly support in the form of supermarket vouchers, averaging $30 per family (totaling $15,000 per month). The remaining beneficiaries receive sporadic donations, including clothing, Ramadan food parcels, cash assistance, appliances, furniture, and children's entertainment events. The costs for these activities can range from $25,000 to $35,000 per month, though they occur only when funding permits.

The Housing Program has provided safe and dignified housing for 16 displaced refugee families, preventing homelessness and allowing them to focus on rebuilding their lives in new communities. Launched in March 2024, this initiative began by offering emergency shelter, including individuals leaving hospitals. To date, we have committed to 12 families who have received furnished homes, and we cover their rent for one year. The expenses for this program amount to $1,700 per month, not including the initial investment in furniture, insurance, and agency fees, which total approximately $900 per home.

The Palidentist Program has significantly improved the health and well-being of over 400 displaced refugee patients since June 2024 by providing essential dental care to approximately 10 patients each week. Egyptian dental clinics offer us discounted rates, with the average treatment cost ranging from $20 to $30, totaling around $1,000 per month.

3. Kinder Relief

Kinder Relief is a U.S. - based non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that specializes in the medical evacuation of critically-ill and injured children from conflict zones and the provision of assistance on the ground during armed conflicts. From delivering life-saving medical supplies and emergency aid to offering comprehensive psychological care, we are committed to addressing the full spectrum of each child’s needs.

Their team on the ground conducts medical assessments as required and collects essential medical data for potential evacuation cases. They also manage the cases approved for our medical travel abroad program, ensuring efficient coordination and oversight of all medical travel requests.

Kinder Relief specializes in the medical evacuation of critically-ill and injured children  for life-saving medical treatment. In partnership with senior medical professionals  and our global medical advisors, we identify the most urgent pediatric cases that need medical evacuation. Our team then secures world-class, fully-funded treatment options for each child in countries including the United States, Italy, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt. We manage the entire evacuation process for each child from their location in Gaza to the hospital in the destination country and can secure all needed governmental permissions for a medical evacuation. Followingevacuation we continue to support the evacuated children and families, and ensure their accommodation and essential living expenses are provided.