Ramy Al Shurafa, the co-founder of the UK’s tech co-op Yalla, died on 17 March at the age of 33 after a sudden heart attack.
Born in Gaza, Al Shurafa dedicated himself to science, before moving through mechanical and civil engineering, and finding his passion in coding.
He met Yalla co-founders Joe Friel and Simon Dupree through the Founders and Coders and Gaza Sky Geeks, a programme that gave freelancers, founders and coders in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem the technical training they need to earn an income online.
The three set up a digital agency, Yalla Cooperative, a few months later, united by a shared optimism and a passion for tech for good.
“I never wanted a job just to make a living,” Al Shurafa once said. “I always wanted to do something more meaningful – something that ignites my passion when I start each day and motivates me to wake up.”
Related: UK tech co-op seeks support for coders in Gaza
He was very proud of the co-op, which operates on sociocratic principles to ensure all members can share ideas, have a say and contribute to how it is run. Outside of work he enjoyed running, hiking and gardening.
After marrying in 2023, Al Shurafa travelled to Egypt and Turkey for his honeymoon, leaving Gaza for the first time in his adult life. In September 2023, he attended a team retreat in Istanbul. But the start of the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas meant that him and his wife could not return home – especially after December 2023, when their son, Mustafa, was born.
Yalla colleagues paid tribute to him in an obituary praising his kindness and optimism.
“Ramy was more than a friend – he was family to so many. Whether in Gaza, Istanbul, or across Europe, his kindness and support made him a constant presence in people’s lives. He built communities, not just through his work, but through the way he lived,” read the tribute.
“All Ramy wanted was to be back in Gaza, with his family and friends. Now, his wife and child remain unable to return home to the support of their loved ones. His family cannot even bury him, as they fight to survive the latest Israeli onslaught. His friends, scattered across the world by displacement, cannot physically come together to mourn him. As humans, we may not control a sudden heart attack, but we do control the systems that tear families apart and deny them dignity in their hardest moments.
“What made Ramy so special was his hope. He believed we could change things. He envisioned a world where barriers were broken, where people came together to build something better. That is why we are proud to have known him, and why we will continue his work.
“It is a vision we must all carry forward.”
Read the full tribute here.
Those wishing to support Ramy’s wife Malak and their son, Mustafa, can donate via this link.
