Our Story
Mission
Provide the infants in Gaza with the best possible nutrition based on scientific evidence, with special focus on breastfeeding as a life-saving intervention.
Each newborn in Gaza to be nourished and nurtured through breastfeeding, building a strong foundation for their health and resilience for life.
Vision
GINA operates with three overlapping principles: Raising awareness and correcting misconceptions in relation to breastfeeding, supporting healthcare professionals develop the resources they require to provide breastfeeding support within healthcare facilities and establishing community support for lactating mothers.
Purpose
We are a group of women and men who are bound together by our humanity, by our determination to relieve the sufferings of infants experiencing hunger at the very start of their formative years.
We saw the images emerging from Gaza and we couldn’t turn our backs and carry on, the cries of those babies stood between us and our “normal lives”, we felt obliged to do something.
GINA was born out of that collective yearning to embrace the babies and relinquish their hunger, it organically expanded to include healthcare specialists with special focus on breastfeeding and maternal nutrition.
GINA’s family is a growing circle of volunteers spanning different countries and backgrounds, all united in our determination to provide a healthy start in life for innocent children.
How it all started
GINA (Gaza Infant Nutrition Alliance) was founded in April 2024 by Reem Al Soufi, a mother of two and an emergency medical consultant in Scotland. Inspired by her late father’s stories of growing up in a refugee camp in Gaza, Reem felt a deep connection to the struggles faced by mothers and infants in the region. The ongoing conflict drove her to take action, focusing on breastfeeding as the most immediate and effective way to provide nutritional support to infants.
Since its inception, GINA has trained over 21 healthcare professionals in Gaza, equipping them with the skills to support breastfeeding mothers and their families. Our growing community, which we call the "circle of love," includes 20 volunteers from around the world, contributing expertise and support to the cause.
GINA was registered as a non-profit social enterprise in August 2024 in Scotland (SC818296).
Core Values
01
We understand the unique and evolving challenges faced by infants and their mothers in Gaza and providing them with the support they both need during and after emergencies in a compassionate and understanding manner.
Compassion
02
We combine evidence based support and resources with local expertise to deliver practical breastfeeding support in Gaza.
Credibility
03
We engage both parents, their families, and healthcare workers to support mothers and infants, welcoming members from all backgrounds who share our passion and empowering them to promote breastfeeding within their families and communities.
Inclusivity & Empowerment
04
We work with local and international partners to provide comprehensive support for breastfeeding mothers and their infants in Gaza.
Collaboration
05
We strive for long-term impact through culture-shifts and behaviour change, endeavouring to support breastfeeding practices during and after emergencies.
