The Volunteers of Ele Elna Elak
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” (Acts 4:32)
“In Ele Elna Elak, a family supports a family!” - Ela Elna Elak Volunteer
Today, rather than introducing you to just one neighbour, I wanted to talk about the tireless volunteers of Ele Elna Elak.
Ele Elna Elak, which in Arabic means ‘what we own, you own,’ is a social solidarity initiative founded in 2018 by a team of Gazan students who saw the need in their communities—particularly around food and warm clothing for the winter months—and set out to do something about it. Today, the bright green reflective vests of Ele Elna Elak volunteers are a sign to people throughout Gaza that they are neither alone nor forgotten in their struggles.
As the genocide continues and millions of Gazans find themselves displaced among the rubble, one of the main concerns for our neighbours in Gaza is water. Gaza already had a water crisis due to Israel’s blockade and systemic neglect of Gazan infrastructure, as I touched on when I introduced you to Majd Mashharawi, but after the siege began in October, their already limited resources were cut off by Israeli. In fact, Israel cutting off water (and electricity) to Gaza was one of the early signs that this assault was not simply about “defending themselves,” as cutting off water to a civilian population is considered collective punishment—a war crime.
And so, in the past few months, it has become Ele Elna Elak’s mission to bring water back to Gaza. Ele Elna Elak circumvents the destroyed water infrastructure by bringing water trucks—funded by ordinary people around the world—to communities hardest hit by displacements. Frankly, any words I could say pale in comparison to the faces you’ll see in Ele Elna Elak’s Instagram videos of people who can finally feel the relief of clean, clear water.
I started Imago Palestina to show how we really can help our neighbours in Palestine, and Ele Elna Elak is such a perfect example. It shows, practically, how our dollars can have a tangible effect in relieving our neighbours suffering, if only in a small way. It also demonstrates, how change isn’t really something we can do alone, and only through collective action where we understand that “what we own, you own” can we stand up to the systems of imperialism and profit that drive this genocide. It also, I think, reminds us that, while these volunteers can distribute water all day, that’s comparatively a drop in the bucket when you consider the scale of this violence, and we need to also direct this collective action at the root causes—the blockade, the occupation, and the evils of colonialism—if we want to make real change.
With your heart: Pray for the volunteers of Ele Elna Elak, for courage and vigor as they nourish our neighbours. Pray for those neighbours, that they would find relief. Pray for the ultimate relief that comes from liberation.
With your hands: Donate to Ele Elna Elak and follow them on social media to keep up with their work
