Empowering Gaza’s Humanitarian Frontlines by Building Capacity for a Resilient Future

October 10, 2025 

As Gaza faces the long and difficult road of rebuilding, Zakat Foundation of America is investing not only in aid but in the people who deliver it. Recognizing that humanitarian work requires both skill and strength, we recently completed a Capacity Building Training Program for 20 Gaza-based relief volunteers, marking a major step toward sustainable, high-quality service delivery in the region. 

Organized through our Middle East North Africa (MENA) Regional Office in Istanbul, the six-day program was led operationally by Dr. Rasheed and facilitated by Dr. Nahed Eid, a master’s-level humanitarian specialist with more than a decade of experience in humanitarian standards and protection. Together, they ensured seamless coordination and delivered an intensive, practical curriculum grounded in real-world challenges. 

The sessions covered essential topics such as leadership in emergencies, planning humanitarian initiatives, communication and advocacy, and mental health and well-being (MHPSS). The training culminated in a field simulation exercise, where participants applied what they learned in a realistic emergency scenario, testing teamwork, decision-making, and accountability under pressure. 

Every element of the program was built around the Sphere Standards and the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) on Quality and Accountability. Participants learned to strengthen community engagement, apply protection principles, and ensure that relief efforts are timely, ethical, and responsive to the real needs of those affected. 

A key focus was also on staff well-being, equipping Gaza’s humanitarian workers with tools for self-care, stress management, and peer support to sustain their resilience in the face of ongoing crises. 

Building Gaza’s Future 

For decades, Zakat Foundation of America has stood with Gaza, delivering food, medical aid, and shelter, supporting orphans and families, and rebuilding homes through partnerships. This new training initiative extends that commitment from aid delivery to capacity building, ensuring that Gaza’s own relief teams are prepared to serve their communities with compassion, competence, and accountability. 

Because the rebuilding of Gaza begins not only with structures but with people.