17-07-2025
Donor backlash over Gaza march halts Rise Up's blanket campaign
Rise Up Movement founder Josha Daniel is facing donor pushback over his attempt to participate in the Global March to Gaza, forcing the organisation to cancel its winter blanket drive.
Daniel, who travelled to Cairo on June 11, said he never expected that a humanitarian mission would provoke such strong criticism.
'Some perceived our involvement as taking sides. But our mission has always been about safeguarding life and dignity, irrespective of race, colour or belief,' he said.
The Rise Up Movement, a non-profit focused on humanitarian aid and community upliftment, has long enjoyed local donor and business support. However, following Daniel's participation in the halted march, several sponsors pulled out.
A long-standing partner also withdrew vital logistical support for the winter blanket drive, which assists hundreds of poor each year.
Daniel believes the backlash stems from a misunderstanding of the organisation's neutral humanitarian stance.
'How can we say 'all lives matter' while justifying the killing of innocent women, children and aid workers? Human suffering isn't a political position – it's a call to conscience.'
Daniel joined hundreds of international delegates in Egypt, aiming to peacefully advocate for humanitarian access to Gaza. But the situation deteriorated as delegates were detained, hostels raided and foreign nationals, including South Africans, were held without charge.
With help from the South African Embassy, Daniel assisted in developing emergency safety protocols for fellow delegates, many of whom were first-time travellers. Though the march was cancelled, he stayed on to volunteer at the Red Crescent Hospital, supporting victims and documenting abuse cases now under review by international human rights bodies.
One moment that stood out was meeting a father who had lost his entire family in an airstrike.
'He wasn't talking about politics, he wanted food, safety and dignity. That's what people need to understand.'
The experience has had a lasting impact on both his personal outlook and the direction of The Rise Up Movement.
While the criticism has been difficult, Daniel says it has also sparked important conversations about neutrality, morality and what it means to stand for justice in a divided world.
'It is easy to support causes when they are popular. But true humanity is tested when you stand with those who are unpopular, unseen and silenced.'
Despite the financial setback, Daniel remains resolute.
'This experience has not broken my spirit. If anything, it's strengthened my resolve. We will continue to rise because every human life deserves to be valued.'
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