My name is Kendra. I am based in Seattle and I am organizing this fundraiser for my friend, Karam, in Gaza Palestine. Karam’s home was destroyed by Israeli bombing. He has been displaced multiple times since 2023. Donations will be used to provide for Karam’s family since he is not able to make an income due to the war. Your donations will be sent directly to Karam. Funds will help his family eat, buy warm blankets and clothing, buy water, buy medicine and other necessities and go towards rebuilding their home when the war ends. In addition to these tangible items, your donations help instill hope during an extremely difficult time and show Karam and his family that they aren’t alone.

In Karam’s own words:

Hello, I hope you are well. I want to introduce myself to you, I am the nurse Karam from Gaza, I live in the shadow of the war. I hope you will help me in the difficult life conditions that I endure. As a student at the Islamic University of Gaza, I graduated in 2022. I was studying for a specialized recruitment exam, but because of the war, I could not take the exam. I was very sad because I did not get any employment opportunity and I am fighting in this life and defying its difficult circumstances for the sake of my family, including my wife. My dreams were destroyed by destroying my home, with all my memories. I was displaced 5 times since the beginning of October 7 and went to live in a tent, but winter is hard and very cold in the tent and the summer heat is brutal. There are insects and a lack of water in the place where I am living.

I recently got married and I am afraid that my child will come and I do not have his basic needs. The gas and fuel crisis, our power outages, fire and firewood have become very expensive. There is no food for our day because of the high cost of flour, so we go to the nursing home for only one meal a day, which is lunch. So I went to work in the guvandme box to protect my family and thank you for standing with me and listening to my story.