Amos Trust in 2024
The Year in Review
“Another world is not only possible; she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” Arundhati Roy
In our first blog post of the year, you will read about some of the occasions in 2024 when we heard about the ‘other world’ taking a breath. Sometimes, it was a long, deep gasp of air, others a rattly asthmatic cough. Many, many times, the quietness of our breath got drowned out by all the noise around us and the horror we see in Gaza, Lebanon, Jenin, Yemin etc. etc. etc.
Over the next year, we hope we have more quiet days when we can hear that breathing more clearly and spend more time being able to welcome the world we believe in and want to invest our time, energy and resources in. That we can focus less on patching up bodies and providing emergency food relief and more on refusing to inhale the stale air that will be ever more forcibly pumped into our lives. That we can spend more time celebrating incredible people and their steadfastness, courage and creativity.
We are working with some great people on plans for 2025, which we are excited about and look forward to sharing with you soon but for now, below are some of our highlights from 2024. We know that these wouldn’t have been possible without your support. So thank you, thank you, thank you, for filling our lungs with the good stuff.
Alexia
Climate Fellowship — 2024
Climate Activist: Nuria Yamada — part of the 2024/25 Climate Fellowship cohort
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In 2024, we launched our Climate Fellowship, partnering with 12 women climate activists and land defenders from Mexico and Central America. One participant, Nuria Yamada, (pictured above), shared her transformative experience:
“This space, beyond the training and mentoring, has helped me build and strengthen bonds with women who are starting or developing their own projects. I see myself reflected in my colleagues as they navigate challenges similar to those I faced when my group began our journey.
Knowing that most of us in this fellowship have shared, felt and carried similar experiences in our hearts creates a deep connection. It’s as if we’re together in the same space, even though we’re physically apart. Our shared experiences and struggles unite us, transcending distance.”
Good news for Karunalaya, India — June 2024
A safe environment: Smiling faces as Karunalaya receive some very good news
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After months of persistence, Karunalaya in Chennai, India, received official certification for their girls’ shelter in June 2024. The shelter, housed in a building provided by the Greater Chennai Corporation, faced challenges when the ground floor was repurposed as a Primary Health Centre. This change created safety concerns for the girls due to the constant presence of men and improper disposal of medical waste.
Following a relocation request, the girls were moved to a new building. However, soon after, they were informed that the shelter would be closed, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness and the associated risks of child labour, sexual abuse and early marriage.
Paul Sunder-Singh, Karunalaya’s founder, tirelessly appealed to various authorities. His efforts were rewarded with a registration certificate for the shelter, ensuring the girls could continue to live in a safe environment.
In May 2024, Cheka Sana marked a significant milestone by completing training for 37 women, enabling them to establish thriving businesses. These women, who had been living on the streets and exposed to risks such as sex work, now enjoy safety, stability, and financial independence.
Since December 2023, their collective income has increased by 30%. Moreover, 80% of their children are no longer living on the streets, and the mothers are now able to provide better nutrition, healthcare, and education for their families.
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Meg
The Gaza Sunbirds at the World Cycling Championships, Zurich — September 2024
Chapeau! Meg Williams (third from the left) and friends in Zurich cheering on Alaa from the Gaza Sunbirds
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In 2024, lots of exciting things happened in the saddle. We supported Anne Jones, 82 years young, to summit Mont Ventoux, we rode 200km in a one-day coast-coast ride with Amos Road Club and we once again joined our friends at the Big Ride for Palestine to cycle in our thousands, raising over £60,000 for the Gaza Sunbirds.
But most excitingly, Chris and I were lucky to travel to Zurich last September for the UCI Road and Para-Cycling World Championships to support Gaza Sunbirds co-founder Alaa al-Dali’s historic international debut. Alaa was the first cyclist to ever compete for Palestine. He did so against all the odds, having only been evacuated from Gaza in April last year.
After a small amount of training in May, Alaa managed to compete in some European races, hoping he could qualify for the Paris Paralympics on a wildcard place. Unfortunately, he did not qualify but earned a place in the UCI Road and Para-Cycling World Championships — one of the biggest cycling competitions after the Tour de France.
After over two years of riding in solidarity with the Sunbirds as part of the Big Ride for Palestine and Amos Road Club, as well as supporting thousands of people to fundraise for the Sunbirds aid missions and to enable Alaa to reach the world championships, it was incredible to meet Alaa in Zurich and watch him race in his Team Palestine jersey.
Alaa is currently living in Belgium where he is continuing his training. We remain hopeful that he will be reunited with his wife and two young children, who are in Gaza. You can read more about our time in Zurich here.
Thank you to everyone who got on their bikes and peddled for hope in 2024. From Anne Jones, the Big Ride for Palestine, Amos Road Club, to everyone who took on their own cycling challenge to support the Gaza Sunbirds or Amos Trust’s emergency appeal for Gaza. Chapeau!
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Jill
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Sally
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Katie
UK Christmas Tour — December 2024
Supporters Old & New: Our Christmas tour visited Leeds in December 2024
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I’ll be honest: When asked to reflect on my highlights of 2024, I felt a wave of sadness, stuck for something to say when I usually have too many options. I began to think about our response to this challenging year — specifically, your response — and realised my true highlight was the profound sense of solidarity and support that emerged from you, our incredible supporters.
Amos supporters old and new asked, “What can I do?” — raising funds and awareness by whatever means: DJing, cooking, crafting, running, walking, cycling, swimming, coffee mornings, markets, auctions, concerts, dinners, writing to MPs, boycotting and the list goes on. Whatever you enjoy doing, you found ways to do it for Gaza. Your efforts filled us with hope at times when we most needed it. Admittedly, keeping up with all your activities has been challenging, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
The year culminated with our Christmas tour of the UK (pictured above) with Palestinian partners and musicians. It was heartwarming to reconnect with old and new supporters in person after all the work we had been doing together. Taking time to remember the people of Gaza and to hear about the incredible work our partners are doing in Gaza in such adversity.
Night after night, the remarkable Nader Abu Amsha from DSPR (NECC) shared stories of his extraordinary colleagues in Gaza, detailing the vital work they do to support their communities, even as they themselves are displaced. I know the support, friendship and solidarity he felt from you at every event fed his soul.
And for me, standing back each night and seeing you, our incredible supporters alongside our Palestinian partners and friends, all united in a desire for a free Palestine and doing all you can to make it so, is definitely my highlight for 2024. Thank you for all you are doing and that I know you will continue to do.
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Chris
Visiting the West Bank — March & December 2024
Palestine: A new level of determination
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I’m often asked how often I have been to Palestine. I have no idea — but I know each visit is bittersweet. Seeing friends and colleagues and being introduced to new projects is great and inspiring. It is heartbreaking to see more homes destroyed, increasing poverty, an ever-shrinking landscape with more checkpoints and road closures and rising levels of settler violence.
- This was definitely the case for my two visits to the West Bank this year. The exhibition at the Palestine Museum of Art from the Shababek and Eltiqa Galleries in Gaza City, both of which are now rubble.
- Lunch at the incredible Zest Restaurant in Ramallah and meals with Saied and Elias’ families and other friends in Palestine. In fact, many of my highlights of the year concern Palestinian cuisine and chefs, such as fundraising dinners at the wonderful Akub restaurant in Notting Hill or the two fantastic Souk el Salaam fundraising events.
But the biggest highlight was the difference between March and December in so many of our partners and friends. In March, it felt like people were just holding on, trying to keep going, with despair being a companion that would be all too easy to slip into.
In December, the situation had got no better — in fact, it was worse with no sign it was improving. Our partners’ approach was very different by December. They knew it was really hard. They knew there would be many setbacks and that they would have to look after themselves.
There was a new level of determination, and while it may sound strange, it was a huge encouragement, as they weren’t relying on false optimism, staying busy, or procrastination, but rather an acceptance that we often have to create the light we long to see.
We hope to take people to visit them again in 2025 and share in that mutual encouragement.
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Nive
Gaza Requiem — October 2024
Unbelievable: Gaza Requiem at Central Hall Westminster in October
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2024 can be summed up for me in one word. Unbelievable. How can this still be happening? My highlights are the glimmers of hope and humanity that prove that there will always be light.
Obviously, the unbelievable resilience of our partners and friends in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the extraordinary ongoing support of the Amos supporter family, continue to blow my mind and keep me ‘doing hope’.
But I need to choose one highlight, so I’ll go with Gaza Requiem at Central Hall Westminster in October (pictured above). From a technical perspective, it was undoubtedly the most challenging event we have ever taken on, and with the help of some very skilled people, we pretty much nailed it.
But much more than delivering a complicated event on a technical level, we managed to create a very special space. A space to come together in solidarity, in grief and in anger. A space to stand tall and reaffirm that ‘we be many and they are few’. A space to hear the authentic and uncensored voices and music of Gaza.
As Ambassador Zomlot so eloquently put it after hearing Adnan Joubran’s oud soaring through that beautiful space — “I have nothing to add; that was the voice of a nation.”
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Nick
Sumud: Union Chapel, London — April 2024
World-class: Our Sumud fundraiser for Gaza at Union Chapel in London
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How does an organisation like Amos respond to genocide? What event could we possibly produce that would, in any meaningful way, reflect not only our anger but also our creativity? Our answer was to call in a lot of favours.
Our Sumud fundraiser for Gaza at Union Chapel in London in April 2024 was a memorable evening of poetry, readings and music. We were joined by world-class musicians Beth Rowley, Alabasta Deplume, Shabaka Hutchings, Adnan Joubran, Foy Vance, Nadine Shah and the mighty Mogwai from Glasgow (pictured above).
There were also contributions from Irish DJ and producer David Holmes, actress Maxine Peake and artist, activist, producer and musician, Brian Eno. And we were honoured to be joined by Dr Husam Zomlot, Head of the Palestinian Mission to the United Kingdom.
Over £20,000 was raised for our work in Gaza. Watch this space for Sumud 2 coming soon — Inshallah.
All photography: Mark Kensett Photography except 'Zurich’ by Alex Whitehead and Nuria Yamada — image supplied.
