My name is Anto, I am from the United Kingdom and I’m raising funds for my dear friends who are currently displaced in Al-Nusairat camp, in the South of Gaza, due to the ongoing occupation. They're a family of 12 and have been displaced since 2023, trying to survive with very little - they have lost their homes and now live in tents with little access to food, clean water, or medical care.
I became close to the two youngest sisters, Anfal (Anne), who is just 8 years old and Rahaf, who is 16. They love cats, drawing and cooking, and despite everything they've been through, they are some of the kindest, sweetest souls I’ve ever met. They have even been teaching me Arabic, and we often draw together. I cannot stand by while they continue to suffer without the basics of safety and dignity.
Their words, as featured by Ms Rachel, children educator and advocate for a Free Palestine:
Anfal: "One day I wore my school uniform and really felt like I was going to school! Just like other kids! Even if it wasn’t real, it made me smile. But I didn’t take a school bag... I took a water container instead. I went to bring water for my family. Maybe one day, I’ll carry books instead of water. Maybe one day, I’ll really go to school again.
I draw houses because I don’t have one. Not a real one. Just a dream with windows and a door. A place where I can sleep without fear, laugh without hiding, and say ‘this is mine.’ Maybe one day... my drawing will come true."
Rahaf: "Before the war, we were just kids. We went to school, came back home and always found food waiting for us. We used to play, laugh, and dream... but now everything is just gone. I don’t feel like I have a childhood like other kids. I just wish to live safely, go to school, play games, and be happy like children everywhere. Since the war, everything has changed. We’ve lost everything. We’ve been forced to move from place to place, and we’ve seen so many painful things. We’ve lived in tents and shelters, and we’ve gone through the worst days with not enough food, no clean water, no healthcare, not even basic things like clothes or soap. Before the war we felt safe at home, laughing with our beloved ones and dreaming about the future. After the war, there was no safety, no dreams… only fear and trying to survive day by day. I don’t always draw what I see. I draw what I feel. And I feel a lot. I escape into my sketchbook."
Your support will go directly towards helping them with food, clean water, medicine, and shelter. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference in their survival and give them a chance at a better future. Please help however you can, they deserve safety, laughter, and a chance to be kids.
You can also donate directly to them via , and visit Anfal's Instagram @with_anfal.8 and Rahaf's Instagram @iimrahaf.9 for live updates. Please also consider following their art account, @meow_mento. Even sharing their content means more than you can imagine: it’s a way of telling them they’re not forgotten.
