From Singapore to Gaza: How Love Aid SG Delivers Hope Amid the Rubble

When activist-entrepreneur Gilbert Goh founded Love Aid Singapore about eight to ten years ago, the aim was simple: “do something meaningful,” he says. Initially the focus had been closer to home—Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia—but logistics, scale and impact proved challenging.

A turn of fate sent him instead to Europe, and ultimately to the Middle East—a region many Singaporeans regard with hesitation. “We tend to be afraid … we were brought up hearing ‘Don’t go there,’” he reflects. Yet to him, the unfolding refugee crises in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and Iran demanded action.

A Singaporean NGO in the Heart of Gaza

Love Aid Singapore now focuses heavily on humanitarian relief for Palestinians in Gaza. The NGO provides food and water aid, runs soup kitchens, supplies solar-panels for hospitals, and operates an orphan sponsorship programme. According to Goh, “we provide food, clean water, and sometimes solar panels. We’ve also helped support three hospitals in Gaza.”

In an early milestone, Love Aid exceeded S$145,000 in donations within a few weeks in January 2024, committing two truckloads of aid worth about US$60,000 and preparing a third. By mid-2024, it had collected nearly S$2 million for Gaza-aid initiatives. More recent reports from June place funds raised at over S$5.3 million from Singaporeans since the war began, with soup kitchens and a polyclinic built from scratch in Gaza’s Bureij.

The Orphan Sponsorship Programme

One of LoveAidSG’s signature efforts addresses the plight of children in Gaza. By early 2024 the charity was sponsoring about 400 orphans at US$60 per month each (approximately S$80) covering food, clothing and school supplies.

Photto Courtesy of @loveaidsg Instagram Post

By mid-2024 the number had expanded to around 700 children, with US$42,000 needed each month to sustain the programme. Donations are encouraged to cover at least a one-year commitment; Goh emphasises that sponsors are not pressured to continue if their circumstances change. As of now, 1742 orphans have signed up.

A Baby Named “Singapore”

Perhaps the most poignant symbol of the NGO’s impact came in October 2025. A Palestinian soup-kitchen cook in Gaza, Mr Hamdan Hadad, whose wife had been nourished by Love Aid’s kitchen during her pregnancy, named his newborn daughter “Singapore” in gratitude. Born 16 October 2025 and weighing 2.7 kg, the child is reported to be the first Palestinian girl named after the city-state. The father said: “I am happy and I want to name her Singapore because I really love them.”

The naming resonated widely: Professor Tommy Koh described it as his “happy story of the day.” Former president Halimah Yacob also noted the story on her Facebook.

For Love Aid this outcome symbolises something deeper than aid-boxes: “The whole of Singapore has known about her existence now and we are proud that her name is called Singapore – out of gratitude for your donations to support our humanitarian initiatives inside Gaza,” the NGO posted on Instagram.

The Challenges of Working in War Zones

Goh’s interview underscores the harsh realities of humanitarian work in Gaza and Lebanon. Communication depends entirely on internet access—when the network goes down, aid work stalls. He noted in December 2024 that a bag of flour that used to cost US$10–20 now sells for US$100–200. The entangled border transfers and aid-blockades meant operating costs and logistics were punishing. “North Gaza is particularly dire; no aid goes in or out. Still, about 100,000 Palestinians remain there.”

Solar projects illustrate the stakes. One of the hospitals supported by Love Aid—Kamal Adwan Hospital—installed solar panels only to be destroyed in subsequent bombing. “Solar panels are expensive… and easily damaged by a bomb strike.” Goh says.

Why Singapore-Based Aid Matters

While Singapore’s government has contributed significant humanitarian relief to Gaza (over S$19 million by January 2025) via official channels, the role of smaller civil-society actors like Love AidSG adds a complementary dimension: agile, on-the-ground, and donor-driven.

Photo Courtesy of Gilbert Goh via Fab Luxe

Goh emphasises the “regular Singaporean” as a donor. His field updates, Instagram posts, and appeal channels give the public a direct line to the crisis—rolling updates, photos of soup kitchens and field tents, and the visible connection to the baby Singapore story.

Looking Ahead

Love AidSG had said it planned to base itself more permanently in the Middle East for 2025, rather than operating only from Singapore. Goh said in our interview with him last December: “We’ve received about S$4 million in donations and spent close to S$2.2 million … Singaporeans trust us to ensure the funds reach the people directly.”

This case offers a twin lesson: the power of individual-led aid organisations in conflict zones, and the imperative of transparency and accountability. While the public story is compelling, the risks are real: logistics, security, partner-NGO vetting, and delivery in blockaded regions all pose hurdles.

In Conclusion

From its humble beginnings to soup kitchens in Gaza and orphan sponsorships, Love Aid Singapore exemplifies how one national NGO can transcend geography to serve civilians in war.

The baby named “Singapore” and the hundreds of sponsored children offer human snapshots of suffering—but also of unexpected solace, even hope. In a world of grinding crises, stories like these remind us of the difference a small band of committed people can make.

Keep up with Love Aid SG on Instagram.

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@theotherside.asia

10 children lose limbs daily in Gaza’s ongoing war, says the UN. Aid worker Gilbert Goh recalls meeting a teen who stayed positive despite losing both legs. With healthcare strained and aid restricted, urgent international action is needed. Read the full story at theotherside.asia #TheOtherSide #TheOtherSideAsia #RealityNotPropaganda #Gaza #childamputee #loveaidsg

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