In 2023 journalist Mirna El-Helbawi discovered that eSIMs (a programmable SIM card built into smartphones) could be used by people in Gaza to connect to remote telecommunication networks to bypass the almost completely destroyed telecoms infrastructure.

Mirna founded and leads a team of volunteers, Connecting Humanity, using social media to fundraise over 450,000 donated eSIMs worth over $10,000,000 US. Nearly every photo and video seen from Gaza since October 2023 has been shared through an eSIM, provided by Connecting Humanity and others who have copied their approach.

eSIMs provided by Connecting Humanity have allowed journalists and people documenting their experiences to educate the public, combating propaganda and providing evidence for war crimes investigations. As the international community has built pressure to stop the war, eSIMs have allowed voices from Gaza to be heard every day.

eSIMs have enabled people in Gaza to access vital information. Connecting Humanity provides eSIMs to; professional and citizen journalists, everyday citizens sharing their lives during the war online, medical professionals, aid workers, families and children and students. The team works with each recipient to activate the eSIM, which can be used to create a hotspot, connecting many people through a single eSIM.

https://connecting-humanity.org/impact/

• Gaza, Palestine

• Refugees and internally displaced people
• Journalists, civilians in Gaza including children and students, worldwide public education, humanitarian organisations providing aid in Gaza, Medical organisations providing aid in Gaza, peace organisations, the International Criminal Court and International Courts of Justice,

The approach can be replicated by anyone using the commerically available eSIMs, other groups have replicated the projects approach in Gaza. There are no proprietary technologies or knowledge involved in the project.

It has run for almost two years funded by donations from the general public.

See below