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Mirna El Helbawi

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Mirna El Helbawi
ميرنا الهلباوي
Born1991 or 1992 (age 31–32)[1]
NationalityEgyptian
Occupation(s)Journalist, writer, podcaster, and activist
Known forConnecting Humanity
AwardsElectronic Frontier Foundation award for 'Championing Internet Access in Gaza'

Mirna El Helbawi (Arabic: ميرنا الهلباوي) is an Egyptian journalist, writer, podcaster and activist.[2][3] She is the founder of Connecting Humanity, a non-profit organisation that helps people in Gaza to regain access to the internet, using donated eSIMs.[2][4][5] She was nominated for the Arab Journalism Award in 2016 and won the Electronic Frontier Foundation award for 'Championing internet access in Gaza' in 2024.[6]

Connecting Humanity

Main article: Connecting Humanity

Israeli bombardment, electricity blockades and fuel shortages have caused the near-total collapse of Gaza's largest cell network providers.[1][7] El Helbawi discovered that eSIMs could be used to reconnect people in Gaza by allowing them to connect to remote cell phone networks in Israel and Egypt.[8][9][10] The first two people that she helped get back online through eSIMs were Egyptian journalist Ahmed El-Madhoun and Palestinian journalist Hind Khoudary.[11][3]

Connecting Humanity claim that, by December 2023, 200,000 people living in Gaza (around 10% of the population) had received internet access through an eSIM.[5] News of the initiative spread quickly through social media, and by December $1.3 million worth of eSIMs were donated to Connecting Humanity.[12] The project is an international effort, with people in countries such as the United States, Switzerland, and Pakistan donating eSIMs. Donors most commonly used Airalo and Simply to generate eSIMs that could then be distributed in Palestine.[13] In 2024 Connecting Humanity was recognised by the Electronics Frontier Foundation awards for 'Championing Internet Access in Gaza'.[6]

Writing

El Helbawi was shortlisted for the Arab Journalism Award in 2016.[14] Her debut novel, Mor Methl Al Qahwa, Helw Methl Al Chocola (Bitter Like Coffee, Sweet Like Chocolate) was published in 2018[14] followed by her sophomore novel, Kundalini, in 2024. The book is being adapted to the big screen starring Menna Shalaby and Dhafer L'Abidine and directed by Mohamed Salama. [15][16] She also hosts the podcast Helbing.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b Aly, Rasha (17 December 2023). "Palestinians in Gaza using eSim cards to get around communications blackout". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b Vo, Lam Thuy (7 November 2023). "'Let Me Tell Them Goodbye Before They Get Killed': How eSIM Cards Are Connecting Palestinian Families – The Markup". themarkup.org. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b Español, Marc (29 January 2024). "The Egyptians who have sent more than 130,000 digital cell phone cards to Gaza to defy blackouts". EL PAÍS English. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  4. ^ Kershner, Isabel; Nereim, Vivian; Shankar, Vivek; Rogers, Katie (29 October 2023). "Gazans had no cell service. An effort led from Egypt helped reconnect them". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b Elassar, Alaa; Tucker, Emma (3 December 2023). "When Gaza lost phone and internet under Israeli attack, this activist found a way to get Palestinians back online". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b "EFF Awards 2024". Electronic Frontier Foundation. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  7. ^ Shabana, Yasmin (7 December 2023). "Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are staying connected to the world via donated eSIMs". Quartz. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Palestinians are using donated eSIM cards to stay in touch with the outside world". NBC News. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  10. ^ "How eSims are helping thousands in Gaza stay connected amid blackouts". NPR. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  11. ^ Hesham, Merna (19 March 2024). "'Palestinians won't be silenced again!' : Egyptian journalist Mirna El-Helbawi initiative to get Gaza back online". Ahram Online. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  12. ^ ناشطة مصرية تقود مبادرة "ربط غزة" لتوفير الإنترنت للقطاع. arabic.cnn.com (in Arabic). 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  13. ^ في ظل استمرار قطع الإنترنت.. كيف يتواصل الغزيون مع العالم؟. فلسطين أون لاين (in Arabic). 3 February 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  14. ^ a b Farida (8 December 2020). "Mirna El Helbawi". eniGma Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Mena Shalaby to India for "Kundalini"". Sbisiali News Portal. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  16. ^ AlJadir, Raya. "Egyptian writer Mirna El Helbawi on the fine line between journalism and humanism". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Helbing on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. 16 January 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
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