Home › Blog › Community Centered Humanitarian Aid in Times of War: Clean Shelter’s work in Gaza
Clean Shelter’s value proposition—that shelter, water, and sanitation are not secondary needs, but lifesaving interventions—, made the organization a clear choice as a grantee for the Fund for Humanitarian Relief in Gaza, a donor-driven collaborative fund held at the Jewish Community Foundation of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. In Gaza, where mass displacement and widespread infrastructure destruction have left families without safe places to live, Clean Shelter has delivered rapid, practical solutions rooted in dignity and care. Their work addresses the most basic human necessities at a moment when those necessities are increasingly out of reach.
One story from the Mesk and Layan displacement camp in Al-Mawasi illustrates this impact powerfully. Families arriving at the site had fled active war zones with little more than what they could carry, settling into overcrowded and unsafe conditions. Clean Shelter responded by constructing durable tents, installing sanitation facilities, and ensuring access to clean water. A displaced mother of four described the change simply: “Before this camp, we were surviving day to day. Now my children can sleep, wash, and go to school without fear. It has given us back some sense of being human.” Her words reflect what safe shelter can mean in the midst of upheaval.
photo courtesy of Clean Shelter
The scale of Clean Shelter’s work in Gaza is substantial. Over the past year, the organization has supported the construction and maintenance of thousands of shelter and sanitation units, including family tents, communal toilets, and shower facilities across multiple displacement sites. Their water initiatives—including desalination and water-trucking programs—have delivered tens of thousands of liters of potable water daily, reducing the risk of disease in densely populated camps. These interventions are often implemented under extreme constraints, yet they remain consistent and reliable lifelines for displaced communities.
Clean Shelter’s approach is also distinguished by its emphasis on community-centered design and maintenance. Facilities are placed with attention to safety, privacy, and accessibility, particularly for women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. As one Clean Shelter field coordinator in Gaza explained, “Our goal is not just to build quickly, but to build in a way that respects how people live. Even in emergency conditions, dignity matters.” This philosophy has guided decisions ranging from lighting placement to the inclusion of communal spaces and schools within camps. They are also focused on repairing plumbing and sanitation systems in standing homes, using locally available materials which has allowed them to help 61 women-led households return home over the winter. “You cannot imagine how heartwarming their reactions were” shared Hala Assi, Clean Shelter’s on-ground coordinator.
The stories and outcomes emerging from Clean Shelter’s work in Gaza underscore why this partnership matters so deeply. In a humanitarian landscape defined by scarcity and uncertainty, Clean Shelter has delivered tangible, daily relief—clean water, safe shelter, and functional sanitation—to families who have lost nearly everything. We are proud to support this work through our collaborative fund, knowing that these investments do more than meet urgent needs; they restore stability, protect health, and affirm the dignity of people enduring extraordinary hardship.
Interested in opening your own donor-driven collaborative fund? Contact the Foundation.
Photo Credit: Clean Shelter