Background
The Stay Human project began as a grassroots mutual aid initiative in the Summer of 2024.
We are a group based across Europe, Egypt and Palestine who initially started crowdfunding as an emergency response providing food, water, baby formula and direct financial support to families in Jabalia, Northern Gaza - where our Gazan team members are living.
However the project soon evolved into something more enduring: education as a form of hope.
When our Palestinian team members faced the reality of a new academic year without school for their children and the children in their neighborhood, they were determined to do something about it.
Together with the support of others in the community, they transformed part of a damaged building into a classroom, recruited three teachers, and gathered educational supplies.
The Stay Human school opened in September 2024, offering Arabic, English, and Mathematics to children in the community. The school has remained operative since September, providing consistent education to 40 students. Our team in Jabalia now has a vision to expand to support more children, which we in Europe are dedicated to supporting via fundraising.
Objectives
At a minimum, we want to keep the Stay Human school in its current form running. We are currently renting a building with space for 40 students and paying a salary to 3 teachers. We want to guarantee this setup until schools reopen in Gaza.
Our ultimate goal is to create a flexible school camp of tents, with each tent serving as a dedicated learning space for different age groups. This expanded program will engage 10 teachers and provide education to 180 students. Beyond academic learning, these spaces will serve as a place where children can rebuild friendships and play in a psychologically supportive environment.
We will also continue to respond to the urgent needs of the community in Jabalia - be that food, water, baby formula or diapers - we will adapt based on priority needs and the changing circumstances on the ground.
Ethos
We are a mutual aid project : Community, compassion and respect are central to our ethos. Solidarity, rather than charity, underpins our work.
