Whom you're supporting

Ahlam, co-founder of Vegan in Palestine (ViP), formerly worked as a human rights professional until December 2023 when she lost her job at a Palestinian non-profit civil society organization. The loss was a result of the suspension of funding by some European and North American governments following the Palestinian resistance attack on Israeli military bases on October 7th, marking the end of her 17-year career. It's noteworthy that the non-profit Palestinian sector has long depended on support from Western governments since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in the early 1990s.

Simultaneous with the launch of Israeli aggression on Gaza in October 2023, several European and North American governments intensified pressure on Palestinians by suspending funding for Palestinian civil society. This tactic aimed to coerce Palestinians into resisting their own resistance movement. It underscores the conditional nature of Western support for Palestinians, contingent on compliance with Western notions of "peace making," often necessitating the suppression of colonized voices.

Ahlam had contemplated leaving the civil society sector since 2022, recognizing that Western governments funding the Palestinian Authority (PA) lacked genuine interest in a Palestinian state. Instead, they seemed intent on perpetuating the PA's status quo, characterized by unelected leadership, corruption, and the suppression of its own people, all to maintain Israel's security.

Towards a More Sustainable Career Path

Reinforcing perceptions of the Palestinian civil society sector, the seven-month livestreamed genocide and subsequent five months of unemployment, coupled with Western governments' suppression of pro-Palestine protests, strengthened Ahlam's resolve to pursue a more sustainable career path. Her ambition is to realize her dream project, Zada Kitchen, which aims to produce vegan alternatives for popular Palestinian foods, including meat and dairy substitutes, as well as to contribute to decolonizing the local food system. Ahlam, a certified vegan chef, was previously supported by ViP team to organize numerous vegan events before October 2023, introducing veganized versions of popular meals in Palestine and developing the recipe for Palestine's first vegan labneh, replicating the texture and flavors of dairy labneh.

Since December 2023, Ahlam has used her severance pay to cover rent for the house where Baladi rescue cats reside, as well as their food and litter expenses. Consequently, she seeks support to kickstart her Zada kitchen project. Zada is Ahlam’s first rescue cat, and she shares her home with other ten cats. Most of the cats have disabilities, ranging from blindness, one-eyed, mobility issues, to being deaf.

It's not just a kitchen!

Through the Vegan in Palestine initiative, Zada Kitchen will contribute to addressing the intersections of various systems of oppression and advancing the decolonization of the animal rights movement.

Call for action!

Support Zada Kitchen as a Palestinian social enterprise by donating, sharing the link with your networks, and contributing to covering 12 months of space rental, equipment and raw material supplies, as well as a 12-month salary for an assistant, aimed at decolonizing the local food system and inspiring others to follow suit.