Fifteen additional risk education teams are now delivering life-saving messages to residents in Gaza through MAG’s partnership with a Palestinian youth organisation, supported by funding from Canada.
In September, MAG partnered with Save Youth Futures Society (SYFS), a non-profit, independent organisation dedicated to empowering Palestinian youth, as relentless bombings continued to devastate the region, claiming lives, and causing mass displacement and severe destruction of homes and critical infrastructure.
Five initial risk education teams, funded by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), began awareness sessions in Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps across Khan Younis and the Middle Area.
Now, with funding from both UMCOR and Canada, SYFS will operate a total of 20 teams: five in Gaza City, eight in the Middle Area, and seven in Khan Younis.
The teams deliver full risk education sessions, when possible, as well as smaller emergency briefings in communities and on the streets. For children, they also provide interactive, child-friendly sessions to boost engagement.
Since beginning these activities in September, the teams have reached more than 100,000 people, equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to recognise, avoid, and report possible hazards and respond safely to potentially dangerous situations.
MAG is also training humanitarian workers to operate safely, having reached over 100 individuals from various organisations so far.
Currently in Gaza, around 90% of its 2.1 million residents are displaced, with 60% of homes damaged. Ongoing conflict and unexploded ordnance make humanitarian access difficult.
Hundreds of thousands of missiles and mortars fired into Gaza over the past year may remain unexploded, posing both an immediate danger and a long-term barrier to rebuilding.
Since hostilities escalated on October 7th, MAG has prioritised risk education as clearance operations remain unfeasible. We’ve been working with the UN Mine Action Service to spread risk awareness and promote safe behaviours through social media, reaching over 1.3 million people.
In Gaza, MAG remains committed to expanding our response and to doing everything possible to protect lives by delivering critical safety information that can make a difference.
Support for this project was provided through grants from UMCOR and the Canadian Government.
