<div><strong>AID OUR JOURNEY: HELP SETTLE MY REFUGEE FAMILY OF EIGHT ON MERCER ISLAND AFTER ESCAPING GENOCIDE</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Please donate to my fundraiser, helping my family’s resettlement on Mercer Island. After escaping violence and persecution in Myanmar, my family spent six years in distressing conditions in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. On December 8, they arrived on Mercer Island. Your support is crucial as they embark on this new chapter.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Your generous donations will directly support essential needs such as housing, food, medical treatment, and other associated expenses. My goal is to raise $100,000, and every contribution, regardless of size, will have a meaningful impact. Additionally, your assistance in spreading awareness about this campaign would be greatly appreciated.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can make a significant difference in helping my family build a stable and secure future.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>MERCER ISLAND WELCOMED ME AFTER MY OWN HARROWING JOURNEY</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My name is Mohamad Imran and I have lived on Mercer Island since 2016. I am a Rohingya from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Native to Myanmar, but considered <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/us/what-we-do/u-s-asylum-resources/statelessness" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“stateless”</a>, my Rohingya community has faced unimaginable persecution and hardships. At the age of twelve, my parents made the heart-wrenching decision to send me away in the dead of night by boat to escape the Rohingya genocide at the hands of the Myanmar military regime. For three years, I clung to life, navigating treacherous paths through Myanmar, Thailand, and finally to Malaysia where I was captured and imprisoned in a Malaysian detention center. There, I survived starvation and abuse; I was surrounded by death and often thought I would be next. Through a miraculous intervention by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), I was granted the opportunity to relocate to the United States in November 2016.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I was placed with an amazing foster family who gave me shelter and guidance upon my arrival in the US as an unaccompanied refugee at age fifteen. When I stepped foot in the US, I could not speak or read English, nor could I write any language. Thanks to the United States and the incredible Mercer Island community, I am building a promising life for myself. I learned English and immersed myself in my studies, guided by compassionate and dedicated teachers at MIHS. I proudly graduated from Mercer Island High School in 2021 and became a US Citizen in 2022. Currently, I am studying accounting at Bellevue College while working part-time at Pagliacci and the Shore Club. I expect to earn my AA degree at the end of this school year and my next goal is to pursue a bachelor's degree. Beyond education, I joined the MI Football Club, where I started playing soccer and forged connections with people across the entire island. I also worked at QFC, where I got to know the Island’s wonderful residents. Mercer Island has become my home, and the community’s warm embrace has made me feel a genuine sense of belonging.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>NOW I’M ASKING MERCER ISLAND TO WELCOME MY FAMILY</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>For the past six years, my parents and siblings have been confined to a refugee camp in Bangladesh. Living conditions there are dire, with scarce food, widespread theft, corruption, and limited healthcare (compounding my mother’s agonizing battle with lung cancer). My parents have been unable to work and my siblings have not received any education.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>During this time, I have tirelessly dedicated myself to both my studies and my part-time job and have sent over half of my income to the Bangladesh Rohingya Refugee camp to help my family with their most fundamental human needs. But sending money wasn’t enough; I could not rest until we were reunited.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With the support of WA State Representative Tana Senn, Congresswoman Suzan Delbane’s office, Congressman Adam Smith’s office, and former Governor Gary Locke, I successfully secured my brother’s release last year from the same Malaysian detention center where I had been imprisoned seven years before (you can find out more about his story on the King 5 link below). He is now residing in Washington state with a foster family and attending Kentridge High School. After six long years of devoted labor, I have managed to free my entire family from the refugee camp, and have at last achieved my goal through the support of the US Refugee Assistance Program.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><em>My family arrived in Seattle on December 8. Our reunion after so many years and the traumas we’ve endured is profoundly emotional for me.</em>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>For so long, I have wanted my mother to receive medical treatment, dreamt of my siblings obtaining an education, and yearned for my father to regain the ability to work. Now, for the first time in our entire lineage, I proudly represent our family as a citizen of the United States. I hope one day they too will experience such pride.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>THE NEED FOR SUPPORT</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The road ahead will be challenging, and that’s why I’m seeking your help. I will be taking on full responsibility for my eight family members while continuing my education and working part-time at Pagliacci and the Shore Club. I will help navigate my siblings’ education through the Mercer Island School District and help my parents find employment so they can support their family. Though I’ve diligently saved money for my family’s arrival, supporting eight people demands considerable resources.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My goal is to raise $100,000 to provide my family with a place to live, settle, and learn while they acclimate and find their own paths to becoming contributing members of our community, much like I have.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With love and gratitude,
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Mohamad
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>LEARN MORE ABOUT ME AND MY STORY:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>AWARD: </strong>
</div>
<div>Last year, I was one of six students statewide who won the Transforming Lives Award by Washington State Association of College Trustees: <a href="https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/news/article/from-myanmar-to-mercer-island/#:~:text=Mohamad%252525252525252520Imran%252525252525252520overcame%252525252525252520a%252525252525252520harrowing,win%252525252525252520the%252525252525252520Transforming%252525252525252520Lives%252525252525252520Award" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read Story about Mohamad's Transforming Lives Awar</a>d
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>BOOK:</strong>
</div>
<div>I wrote a book entitled<em>The Rohingya Struggle</em>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BV2YXDJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">View Mohamad's Book on Amazon</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>KUOW INTERVIEW:</strong>
</div>
<div>I was interviewed on KUOW in 2017: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/a-rohingya-teen-escaped-genocide-in-myanmar-this-is-how-he-ended-up-on-mercer-island" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Listen to this story about me on KUOW</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>TV INTERVIEWS:</strong>
</div>
<div>A story about my brother was on King 5 earlier this year: <a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%25252525252525253A%25252525252525252F%25252525252525252Fwww.youtube.com%25252525252525252Fwatch%25252525252525253Fv%25252525252525253DZYfauhpCL6s-&amp;data=05%25252525252525257C01%25252525252525257C%25252525252525257C75b10cd086f24ecf129508dbf4e5a1b9%25252525252525257C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%25252525252525257C1%25252525252525257C0%25252525252525257C638373039331400025%25252525252525257CUnknown%25252525252525257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%25252525252525253D%25252525252525257C3000%25252525252525257C%25252525252525257C%25252525252525257C&amp;sdata=EeIlScuoD1FrLOynzW69yeFqLW5WFPmuiOT7s1T3gZE%25252525252525253D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watch the story about Iqram and Mohamad on King 5</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I was interviewed on King 5 in 2019: <a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%25252525252525253A%25252525252525252F%25252525252525252Fwww.youtube.com%25252525252525252Fwatch%25252525252525253Fv%25252525252525253DjM1z4uHye2o-&amp;data=05%25252525252525257C01%25252525252525257C%25252525252525257C75b10cd086f24ecf129508dbf4e5a1b9%25252525252525257C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%25252525252525257C1%25252525252525257C0%25252525252525257C638373039331400025%25252525252525257CUnknown%25252525252525257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%25252525252525253D%25252525252525257C3000%25252525252525257C%25252525252525257C%25252525252525257C&amp;sdata=yUr1CpWkAyP7VQIWIz4jTTPYtvkj6QCVU%25252525252525252Fc2TCl5ICQ%25252525252525253D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watch the interview on King 5</a>
</div>

Anonymous

Samantha Bannach

Holly Hearon

TAYLAN YILDIRIM

Eileen Bennhoff

Eunju Kim

Erinann Childress

Bilal Aijazi

Andrew HAMP

Michelle Cabrera

Gary Feldman

Kristin Kim

AID OUR JOURNEY: HELP SETTLE MY REFUGEE FAMILY

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

AID OUR JOURNEY: HELP SETTLE MY REFUGEE FAMILY

Still $73,769 to go. Help us build momentum.