Mirna El Helbawi, an Egyptian journalist, has started a project called “Connecting Gaza.” This project helps people in Gaza stay in touch with the world during times of conflict. She does this by giving out eSIMs, which are like digital SIM cards.
Journalist Mirna El Helbawi leads a global effort to restore communication for over 200,000 Palestinians in Gaza during conflict
More than 200,000 people in Gaza have benefited from Mirna’s and her team’s efforts. To accomplish this, they sent out requests for eSIM donations to individuals worldwide. Despite regular connections being down, these eSIMs allow people in Gaza to use their phones and the internet.
Communication and internet access is a basic human right. @cnni #ConnectingGaza @Connectinghu_ https://t.co/XaAoe7NOoz pic.twitter.com/dGzl9nJ38c
— Mirna El Helbawi (@Mirna_elhelbawi) December 3, 2023
On the journey, there were a few issues. For example, they had to make sure the eSIMs weren’t used before they got to Gaza. To solve this, they asked the donors to send a picture of the eSIM’s QR code to their email. This way, the eSIMs could be activated in Gaza.
Since the project started, they have given out more than 7,000 eSIMs. But it’s not just about the numbers. People in Gaza have said that being able to communicate with their families again is the happiest thing they have ever experienced.
Israel orders evacuations from city in south Gaza as offensive widens https://t.co/slBIm31n1X
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 4, 2023
In this devastating time, this project showed that a small thing such as eSIM can change a person’s life in an instant. The project set a great example for the upcoming adversaries which could happen in the future.
The project will carry on as long as Gaza’s circumstances remain unchanged. They keep gathering eSIMs and giving them to those in need. Nobody knows what the future holds, but this is for sure: they are ready to face any problem that comes up.
You can purchase an eSIM, photograph the QR code, and submit it to the project’s email if you want to contribute. This will help more people in Gaza stay connected.
Your e-sim donation LITERALLY save lives. #ConnectingGaza @Connectinghu_ pic.twitter.com/9W8GtmeYwY
— Mirna El Helbawi (@Mirna_elhelbawi) December 4, 2023
“Connecting Gaza” is a great example of how people can work together to solve problems. Thanks to Mirna El Helbawi and her team, people in Gaza can stay in touch with the world.
She initially joined other users on the social media site X in demanding that Elon Musk bring his Starlink satellite internet service to Gaza. She was thrilled when Musk responded that he would. However, El Helbawi chose to try something different after negotiations on those ideas fell through.
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She bought an eSIM having international service and had a buddy attempt to link to the foreign network at the recommendation of a social networking follower. She was surprised to see it work.
“Even though it was a tiny hope, I felt it in my entire body the moment we realized we had found a solution,” El Helbawi remarked. “It represented the bright end of a very dark tunnel.”
While El Helbawi was carrying out her strategy, Ahmed Elmadhoun was in Gaza, attempting to keep tabs on the war without internet or phone access.
Elmadhoun felt it was his duty to update the world on the most recent developments because he was one of the few journalists posting videos and photos of the aftermath on social media.
My interview for @CNN with @alaaelassar & @emmatucker31 about how journalists deal with the internet crisis in #Gaza Strip, it was a big challenge and we were taking the responsibility to tell everyone what's happening in Gaza. And I would like to thank @Mirna_elhelbawi who is… pic.twitter.com/G2U7oGQWak
— Ahmed El-Madhoun from #Gaza (@madhoun95) December 4, 2023
“It’s a significant responsibility,” Elmadhoun, 27, told CNN. “People here are dying in silence, and no one can hear them. We are the voice of all these victims.”
Today, I was feeling depressed, so I visited the sea, made new friends, and played football together. I gained a lot of positive energy. The sea in Gaza is our best place. This sea is ours and will always be ours 💙#Gaza pic.twitter.com/mvtXDBrNkv
— Ahmed El-Madhoun from #Gaza (@madhoun95) November 26, 2023
