Our Story: Rooted in Palestine, Committed to Liberation.
Sa7ten: Two Healths
The name 'Sa7ten,' derived from the Arabic sahha (health), literally means 'two healths.' It’s a wish for abundant well-being—heart and mind. More than 'bon appétit,' Sa7ten embodies reciprocity, generosity, and the communal spirit of sharing and connection. It reflects our commitment to holistic care, nurturing not just material needs but also the emotional, spiritual, and communal health of Palestinians. This is our act of cultural and linguistic reclamation in a field often dominated by Western paradigms.
Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission:
Sa7ten fosters a self-sustaining ecosystem where Palestinian culture and creatives reclaim their narrative while generating funds for grassroots aid at its core. We decolonize aid by centering community leadership and directly responding to the needs identified by our people.
Our Vision:
Sa7ten is building a self-sustaining platform where Palestinian creativity funds Palestinian futures, contributing to the broader struggle for liberation from occupation, apartheid, and genocide, towards a Palestine where our people live in sovereignty and dignity.”
The Sa7ten Difference: Our Guiding Principles
We are not an NGO. Our work is founded on three interconnected pillars that define our unique approach, moving from externally imposed charity to community-led auto-solidarity.
Decolonizing Aid
Traditional aid often depoliticizes the Palestinian reality, ignoring root causes—occupation, settler colonialism, genocide—and can create dependency. Sa7ten fundamentally rejects this. We challenge these power dynamics by placing decision-making in the hands of our community. Our actions are guided by the struggle for liberation, responding to direct calls from Palestinians on the ground, not by external agendas.
Upholding Dignity (Karama)
Karama—dignity, honor, respect—is inherent to every Palestinian. It is a divine bestowal and, in our context, intrinsically linked to national liberation. We honor this by meeting our people as partners, not 'beneficiaries.' We listen with profound respect, respond with care, and provide support that affirms their humanity and steadfastness (Sumud) in the face of systemic dehumanization.
Fostering Agency (Tamkeen)
Tamkeen—empowerment and enablement—is about recognizing and supporting the power of Palestinians to shape their own destinies. Our community's voice directs our path. From constructing wells for water sovereignty to supporting local educators, we facilitate community-led solutions, building capacity for autonomous action and systemic transformation, independent of restrictive external funding.
The Political Context of Our Work
Our Work is Inherently Political.
Sa7ten operates within a reality of ongoing genocide, seventy-seven years of relentless Israeli occupation, ethnic cleansing, settler-colonial expansion, and an entrenched apartheid system. These are not mere backdrops but the root causes of the conditions we address. We explicitly name these injustices, challenging dominant narratives that obscure or justify them. Our commitment is to the Palestinian struggle for liberation, return, and self-determination.
Our Genesis
Sa7ten was not born from external mandates. It emerged organically from within the Palestinian community—a direct, collective response to existential threats and the urgent need for support systems grounded in mutual aid and direct accountability. Our evolution from fundraising dinners to a broader platform for aid and cultural resurgence reflects our community's unwavering Sumud (steadfastness).