As part of professor Jeannie Sowers’ “Conflict and Environmental Peacebuilding” class, UNH students such as senior Kay Sassan are partnering with Clean Shelter, a humanitarian NGO co-led by Israeli Tom Kellner and Palestinian Seba AbuDaqa to help provide the displaced communities in Gaza with clean water, sanitation, and shelter.
Instead of just studying global crises, Sassan said Professor Sowers designed the class to empower students to take action. “Rather than just talking about these stressful issues and coming up with potential solutions, she wanted us to actually work with an NGO,” Sassan said.
Sassan’s group is focused on spreading awareness and helping Clean Shelter grow its donor base through marketing materials and outreach efforts. “We're going to make social media templates and email templates for them to be able to send out to potential donors and helping them figure out advertisement strategies, so doing this is helping them [explain] ‘a toilet costs this amount of money,’ or like ‘this is what you can donate to help these people get these resources,’” she explained.
For Sassan, the opportunity to work with Clean Shelter aligned with her longstanding interest in humanitarian issues. “This is something that I’ve been wanting to make a difference about for a long time, and I haven't been able to do that yet because I haven't known where to start or who to go to,” she said. “The more I learned about it, the more I saw a need for what they’re doing for building peace.”
Sassan also acknowledged the growing sensitivity around speaking out. “We’re in an environment right now where free speech is really being limited for this type of thing,” she said.
For students looking to get involved, Sassan recommends starting with classes like Sowers’ that offer hands-on experience and following up on organizations mentioned in news articles. “I think even if it's small and like, I will acknowledge that this is kind of like a small way that we're helping, it still feels good and you are making a difference,” she said.
Editorial: Clean Shelter – A Lifeline for Gaza’s Displaced Communities
In times of crisis, basic needs like clean water and sanitation become urgent. Clean Shelter, a nonprofit founded in January 2024 by Tom Kellner, an Israeli, and Seba AbuDaqa, a Palestinian, is stepping up to provide real solutions. Based in Germany, this organization delivers critical aid to displaced families in Gaza, offering shelter, clean water, and sanitation facilities to those who need them most.
Meeting Urgent Needs
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has left thousands without shelter, toilets, or safe drinking water. Clean Shelter has responded by constructing and financing over 1,000 toilets, showers, tents, and community spaces, directly helping about 10,000 people. Since May 2024, they have also been delivering clean drinking water to 2,000 families daily. Its solar-powered desalination unit, added in July 2024, now provides enough water for 200 families each day.
A Bridge Between Divides
Clean Shelter is more than an aid group—it is proof that cooperation can exist even in the toughest conflicts. Kellner and AbuDaqa’s partnership shows that humanitarian work should rise above politics, focusing on helping people survive and rebuild.
Innovation and Local Support
A key strength of Clean Shelter is its ability to adapt quickly. Volunteers on the ground, led by Ahmed Sherif, ensure aid reaches those in need. Meanwhile, students at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are helping with marketing, organizational growth, and developing new water purification methods for war zones.
Why Clean Shelter Needs Your Support
As a small, fast-moving organization, Clean Shelter relies on donations and volunteers to expand its efforts. More funding means more toilets, clean water, and safe shelters for families who have lost everything.
Clean Shelter is making a real difference. With more support, it can do even more. Will you be part of the solution?
