Yusef Mahamoud was one of the many lives that were affected by October 7th 2023. Before the war began, the Palestinian taxi-driver couldn’t bear to watch as unemployment and hunger were a part of Gazan life. By 2022 or early 2023 more than two million Gazans did not have access to clean drinking water or a proper sewage system. Two-thirds lived in poverty.
Yusef asked for online help in the face of this situation. In 2023, it was Ramadan, and Yusef wondered whether other Muslims around the world would donate bitcoins, the first cryptocurrency decentralized, which he could then use to purchase and distribute toys and food in Gaza for the children. Fumble from the UK was one of many who replied to his request.
“I quickly saw that Yusef was genuinely transferring over the support he received to people on the ground,” Fumbled recalls “As Bitcoiners sent satoshis (bitcoin’s smaller monetary units) to Yusef, he returned pictures of the donations’ impact on elderly people and orphans around him. The more proof I saw of his work, the more I wanted to help, and that’s when I suggested Geyser as a means for Yusef to organize his initiative and scale up the project.”
In April 2023, Yusef launched a project on GeyserThe platform is a worldwide Bitcoin-based crowdfunding site that helps raise funds to provide water and food to Palestinians who are in dire need.
Support was there when the going became tough
Yusef’s Project took on a new dimension in the subsequent months. Gaza’s situation was made worse by the occupation of military forces, who displaced thousands. 85% Gaza and stopped economic activity, causing poverty and unemployment to worsen. Yusef changed his priorities from providing food and water to everyday necessities for those in need.
In the period between April 2023 and may 2024, over 1,500 donors contributed to this cause. Yusef was able to purchase food and water in Gaza for up to 20,000 families. Each family has an average of 5 to 7 members. He helps about 500 orphans.
Fumble explained that there was an easier way to get people involved in Yusef’s work by having the Geyser. Yusef is now reliant on the donations of today. source Civilians can access medication, bags of clothing, baby products, potable drinking water, tins of food and other supplies. Yusef’s e-SIM has been credited with donations so that he stays connected to the community and is aware of what it needs.
“More people over here are now using Bitcoin, there’s no other way.”
In just two months after the beginning of the conflict, the unemployment rate in Gaza had risen to 79.3%. Locals are unable to earn an income, have no access to clean water or sanitation, health care, education, etc. The local population is made up of half children. Even those with savings at the bank were unable to conduct transactions.
“During wars, you’re left with only the change you had in your wallet,” Yusef is explaining over a glitchy phone call. Fumble, who was also on the line to bridge our language barrier, joins in. “Bank apps in our phones are down and banks are freezing accounts in Gaza. We only have cash or Bitcoin.”
Fumble to explain that Gaza runs on Israeli shekels and the Palestinian economy is based on them. financial The system depends almost entirely on Israel to approve any cash movement into the region.”The occupation is why payment processors don’t facilitate it, and it is the reason why Israel has control over transactions that come to their banks,” Fumble is a word that describes the situation.
There are many stories of Palestinians who have trusted contacts abroad with their money and then found out that they were not able to pass the money on to their rightful owners. Many people who pass the money on charge steep fees, sometimes up to 30%.
Bitcoin has become a popular alternative for people such as Yusef. He can bypass the permission-less peer-to-peer nature of Bitcoin. financial Platform barriers are a barrier to getting aid and helping people in the field. The fees for converting bitcoins into fiat currency are only around 5%. This makes it faster and cheaper than other options. “You can see why more people over here are now using Bitcoin; there’s no other way,” Yusef shares.
Other crowdfunding platforms do not operate in Gaza, or they have it blacklisted, which means you cannot use their platform to receive or send funds, if your registration is in Palestine. Geyser allows people to continue to fundraise using bitcoin in Palestine. However, they have added security measures such as asking users to provide ID to make sure funds aren’t being raised to help sanctioned persons.
“Citizens have no fault in this war, that’s why I help them.”
As a result of the forced relocation of Palestinian men, families in Gaza have been split up. detained As their families flee, the authorities tell them to do so. “Fathers were the key breadwinners in Gaza, and many families are now left to fend for themselves. These are the people most often coming to my door asking for help,” Yusef.
Yusef drives regularly to Rafah for supplies. This is not an easy commute. Yusef is more susceptible to attack because of his dislocation in Gaza, while military inspections limit the amount of goods that can enter Rafah via Egypt. “Supplies are being deliberately restricted,” Fumble is explained. “There’s no anesthetic, no insulin, medical respirators are punctured… Even a pair of medical scissors may be considered a weapon and used as an excuse to reject a batch of supplies. Not to mention trucks are deliberately being delayed so the food goes bad.” Yusef, when asked what keeps him going, simply replies: “Citizens have no fault in this war, that’s why I help them.”
There are good days. Yusef was able to purchase a house in March 2024. 2,700 chickens From Egypt to feed the community. The order qualified as ‘commercial capacity’, which simplified the bureaucracy across borders. The large scale transactions have a streamlined bureaucracy. source Yusef is full of hope, but it’s only possible with substantial donations.
Yusef’s project will receive $48k in bitcoins by April 2024. Yusef replies that he was not at all surprised. “My greatest achievement has been getting people, especially children, the help they need.” He has also built nearly 100 tents for displaced families.
Yusef’s project is one of Geyser’s most popular, but it struggles sometimes to fund the constant needs and costs he has to pay. Not only is it difficult to get food, but the price of this also is high. huge price inflation When available. During the call week, Yusef’s Geyser campaign raised nearly $48k, but donations were scarce. He was close to selling his vehicle to raise money for people who desperately needed medical assistance. “To help more people, we need the money to access large-scale supplies and rent cars or trucks to transport those goods to displaced communities,” The man explains.
One day at a Time: Using Bitcoin to satisfy people’s urgent needs
You can buy online. work The work is done on XFumble is helping Yusef to spread the news about his project, so that the donations don’t stop. “Yusef sends me videos of the work being carried out on the ground, which helps to prove that the project is credible and genuine. The consistency with which he shares those videos helps to demonstrate transparency about his intentions. The challenge is sharing as much information as possible without compromising people’s safety,” Fumble explains.
“You have to be very mindful,” Fumble is a word that describes the situation. “We want to show as much as possible what’s happening and Yusef’s first-hand content is precious in that regard. The more transparency, the more likely people are to donate. But at the same time, we need to protect innocent civilians in Gaza, many of whom feel quite abandoned by the world.”
Palestinians continue to adhere to their long-held mantra “steadfast.” Yusef does not hesitate when asked if there is any hope that the life will be returned to normal. “Yes, of course.”
Fumble is thinking of other ways he could help the civilians living in Gaza. The possibility exists to manufacture and supply 3D-printed prothetics for the children who have lost limbs in this conflict. “When I share these ideas with Yusef, he just says ‘God willing’,” Fumble “because he doesn’t take anything for granted; he’s working hard to meet people’s immediate needs. The bitcoin donations have become that lifeline he’s holding on to get people through just one more day.”
Donate to Yusef’s Save Gaza project here.
Michele Morucci has written a guest blog. Opinions are solely theirs own These views do not reflect the opinions of BTC Inc.
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Source: bitcoinmagazine.com