Emergency Aid for Taha

Hi, my name is Teo. I am raising emergency funds for my dear friend Taha.

 

In short, Taha needs $3,000 USD by June 15th, 2022.

 

Below is a brief description of the situation at hand.

 

Please take the time to read the whole story below after the summary in bold.

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Because of Taha's status as an illegal refugee in a foreign country, he cannot obtain housing like regular people. He cannot sign contracts like everyone else. He has to pay for his housing in upfront, in cash, for the entire year.

 

He called me recently begging for my help. His landlord called him and said he sold the apartment he was living in and that he was kicking Taha out immediately. Because of his status, he is not guaranteed basic rights like everyone else for things like housing. Unfortunately he has no legal action to fight the matter and is being forced to find new housing.

 

Taha has been working tirelessly for days trying to raise enough money to be able to pay rent for a new apartment for a full year. In total he still needs $3,000 USD for an entire year of rent in Istanbul. Taha asked me if I could help him come up with part of the money so that he has a place to live while he continues to solve his visa/passport issues so that he can be free.

 

Please read his story below. It breaks my heart that it is this way and I am on my knees begging for your help on behalf of this young man.

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If you know me, then you know how big my heart is. When someone asks for my help, I cannot ignore them. If it is in my power to help them, I will, no matter how large or small of a request.

 

I recently went to Istanbul, Turkey, for three weeks. During my trip, I was amazed each day at the kindness of the Turkish people. No matter where I went, a smiling face and a warm heart was there to greet me offering nothing but love and compassion.

 

It was the end of my first week. I had already began to make friends in Istanbul. I was out for coffee with my new friend Tuba. We were sitting outside drinking coffee, writing poetry, and watching the people walk past.

 

Suddenly this young man walks in front of our table. We were both drawn to him in a curious way. My friend Tuba urged me to go after him. I got up and ran down the street to stop this young man with my camera in hand.

 

His name is Taha, a 22 year old man from Lebanon. I was stunned by his beauty. He told me he was having a terrible day and had been crying all morning. I asked if I could take his photo, maybe it would make his day better. Even though he couldn't see it, I could see something about him that was glowing.

 

Eventually he agreed.

 

We spent less than 5-minutes taking photos on the sidewalk outside of the cafe. After exchanging numbers he was on his way and I went back to my coffee. I truly wanted to make his day better if I could. So, I went home and got to work selecting end editing the best photos for him. Within a few hours they were done.

 

I sent Taha the photos and he was shocked at how stunning they were. He couldn't believe that it was him. He wanted to return the kindness and take me out for coffee one day.

 

A few days later I received a call from Taha asking what my plans were for the day. I was actually struggling to find a new place to stay. I didn't know which part of the city was best or if I should stay in a hostel or a hotel.

 

Without any hesitation he said, "No, no, no - you must stay with me. I have an extra room and you will be my guest."

 

How could I say no to staying with a local in one of the world's largest cities?

 

Something about this person was drawing me towards him like a magnet. I decided to trust my intuition. A few hours later I was knocking on this stranger's door who I had known for a total of less than 5-minutes of my life.

 

He lives on the 6th floor of a building in Besiktas that overlooks the Blue Mosque. It was stunning. I set down my bags in the living room and we began to talk. It was a natural flow, like speaking to an old friend you haven't seen in ages. We wasted no time on the "hi, how are you's."

 

It was like we were connected, fully trusting of one another.

 

Our conversation went straight for the deep end, a place where the most interesting and intimate conversations take place.

 

I soon found out that Taha was a refugee in Turkey. He escaped from prison and ran away from Libya when he was 18 with nothing but his passport and $50 in his pocket. Istanbul was the easiest and closest place to get to for him.

 

When I asked why he had to escape prison and run away from his country, he told me one of the most painful and heart breaking stories I have ever heard. For his privacy and for your sanity, I will not share all of the details here, but I will share what I can so that you understand the gravity of the situation.

 

Taha is gay.

 

For people in our culture this would not be a big deal. In America we have the freedom to be whoever and however we want to be. We are in the middle of Pride Month, an entire month dedicated to celebrating these freedoms.

 

In Libya it is not this way.

 

In Libya it is a crime to be gay.

 

In Libya being gay is equivalent to using or selling hard drugs like heroin or meth.

 

In Libya if you are gay you are sent to prison.

 

Taha's life story was spilling out before me and I was a sobbing mess on the floor. I could not believe the things I was hearing. I could not believe what this person had to go through all before the age of 18.

 

Taha is the strongest person I know.

 

He knew it was a crime to be gay where he is from. He knew the consequences. Yet, he did nothing to hide who he is. Living everyday in fear, Taha only wanted to be free. He woke up everyday with the courage to be unapologetically himself.

 

Eventually he was imprisoned, just for being himself.

 

In prison he would tell me stories of how he was beaten, tortued, and raped. He told me things I didn't think human beings were capable of doing to another human. I couldn't believe that the person in front of me had survived such terrors.

 

He escaped. Not long after he was captured and returned to prison to start the cycle of horror and abuse all over again. Still, he would not give up. He would not hide. He would not surrender who he was just to make it stop.

 

Taha had no hope, no future. Until one day a guard approached him and said he could help him escape. Anyone in his position would have done anything to get out of the terrible hell he was living in.

 

The guard did help Taha out of the prison and took him to his home. What Taha didn't know was that he was going from one tortuous hell into an even smaller and more horrible level of existence beyond belief. He told me how when he arrived at the guard's house he was locked in a small room where for weeks things would be done to him that even he could not have imagined. It made being tortured and raped in prison seem like a kindness in comparison.

 

He told me how they broke all of his toes so that he could not try to run away.

 

I don't know how he did it, and maybe he doesn't even know how exactly he escaped, but he managed, by the grace of God, to make it out alive. Within hours of escaping he made a run for the airport and was able to board a flight to Istanbul.

 

Taha has been on the run ever since.

 

His own father tried to hunt him down once he learned of his escape, following him to Istanbul to bring him back to Libya only to put him in prison once again. His family sends him death threats regularly telling him things like, "if we ever see you again we will kill you and water all of the trees with your blood." He showed me pictures on his phone of his face, bloody and beaten to a pulp by his own father.

 

Taha has no family he can call for help. Taha's family prays only for his death.

 

Taha has no coutnry that will help him. If he returns to Libya they will put him in prison for the rest of his life. If he returns to Lebanon his family will hunt him down and kill him. He can get no help from Turkey because he moved there illegally. He cannot leave Turkey because if he tries to cross the border they will send him back to Libya immediately.

 

He has been trying to obtain a legal status for over 3 years in Turkey. He has spent thousands of dollars on lawyers who only ened up taking his money and not helping him at all. He is truly alone in this world.

 

I honestly don't know how he does it.

 

Taha is the strongest person I know.

 

Before I left Istanbul I made him promise that if he ever needed help that he would call me because I have a family, I have friends, I have a community of people I can count on. The least I can do is offer that to him during a time of need.

 

Well, this is that time.

 

I received a call from Taha a few days ago telling me about his housing situation. He asked if I could help him raise $3,000 USD so that he will have a place to live next week.

 

Because of his status it is very hard for him to obtain a good job. Right now he is earning $2.50/hour working as an assistant to an architect. That is barely enough money for food each month and he has days and weeks where he hardly eats.

 

If he could raise the money on his own he would.

 

When he called me I knew it was out of desperation.

 

I am begging you now, please help me to help Taha.

 

In honor of Pride Month please donate what you can.

 

No one deserves what Taha has gone through.

 

No one deserves to be persecuted like this.

 

No one deserves to be raped and tortured because of who they choose to love.

 

No one should have to live like this.

 

I was so humbled after hearing his story because it made me realize how truly free we are in America. If he were born in another country everything would be different. But he wasn't. It breaks my heart. So please, help Taha. All he wants is to be free.

 

With love, Teo.

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All of the money donated will go to my bank account.

 

From there I will Western Union the funds to Taha in Istanbul.

 

Please donate what you can to help and share this campaign.

 

If you can only spare $5, please donate.

 

If you can donate $1,000 that would be incredible.

 

I wouldn't ask for your help unless it was the only option.

 

I will be personally making phone calls to raise money until we reach our goal.

 

If we pass our goal Taha will also have money for therapy and counseling.

 

He wants help. He wants to feel better. He wants to be free.

 

Every time we talk on the phone it breaks my heart that this is all I can do to help him.

 

This is all I can do from half way across the world. 

 

I feel like God crossed our paths on purpose.

Please help me support Taha during his time of need.

 

If we raise enough money he can afford a good lawyer who can help him with his visa status and maybe one day soon he can leave Turkey. His dream is to move somewhere in Europe or the U.S. where he can have a good job, where he doesn't have to live in fear, where he can be gay and be supported.

 

My dream is that we raise enough money to free Taha.

He has a heart of gold and only wants the best for people.

 

He is beaten down. He is tired. He is struggling.

 

I don't know how to say it any other way.

 

Please help.
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