By Josina Shields-Stromsness | MECA Program Director
It’s been more than two months of the total Israeli blockade of Gaza. Infants and small children are already dying of malnutrition or dehydration.
Women can’t get enough food to sustain their pregnancies or to nurse their babies once they are born. Infant formula? Banned from entering Gaza by Israel along with everything else.
People who suffer terrible injuries from airstrikes can’t heal because their immune systems are so weakened from hunger. And thousands of children will have developmental impairments that will last their whole lives.
In the midst of this Israeli-made catastrophe, MECA’s four solar-powered community kitchens have actually increased our capacity to 20,000 meals a day.
How is that possible?
We stored large amounts of non-perishable food during the brief ceasefire in January and February when aid was allowed.
We’re still getting food from some farmers in Gaza who are able to grow and harvest vegetables.
Thankfully, the aid organizations in Gaza are working together and we received dry ingredients from the World Food Programme—which is also running out of food-—to help us increase the number of meals.
MECA kitchen staff are working double shifts to feed as many people as we possible can.
20,000 meals a day sounds like a lot, and we are extremely proud of MECA's staff and partners in Gaza who never give up. Still, it is not nearly enough when it is the only meal of the day, and there are one million children in Gaza at risk of starvation.
Soon, MECA’s kitchens will run out of food. Farmers will run out of water or their remaining land will be destroyed by Israeli bombs. That's why none of us can give up either. Please, we urge you to take action and support people in Gaza any way you can.
Many thanks for your support and your solidarity,
All of us at MECA
P.S. Right now, there is enough food inside trucks just outside Gaza to feed the entire population for several months. We need to keep the pressure on to end the blockade, stop the bombing, and Let Gaza Live. Thank you.
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