Fund Islam's Family's Journey to Safety

Hi, I'm Sherry Fuller, from Essex in the UK, and I'm fundraising to evacuate a teacher and his young family from Gaza.

I started volunteering with UK charity trust The Hands Up Project a couple of years ago. Hands Up volunteers from around the world provide on-line sessions to children and young people in Palestine; encouraging them to express themselves through the arts, especially to tell their stories through drama. Hands Up foster good relationships with teachers in Palestine.

Islam Abu Shalabi (pictured with his youngest child) is a teacher that works with Hands Up. I'm connecting with other Hands Up volunteers around the world to do everything we can to get Islam and his family to safety.

This is Islam's story:

A Father, Teacher, and Volunteer Needs Your Support

Meet Islam, a young teacher and dedicated volunteer, who never imagined he'd find himself reaching out for help online. But with the ongoing turmoil of war, the idea of returning to his hometown in northern Gaza seems like a distant hope.

As an English teacher, Islam holds one of the youngest tenures in his field. Juggling his responsibilities as a devoted father to two young children and the caretaker for his parents and two siblings — a tough job even in the best of times, let alone during a time of war.

Displaced three times, his family ended up in Rafah, along with 1.5 million other displaced Gazans. Finding accommodation has become nearly impossible. Forced to make a tough decision, his parents and siblings moved to central Gaza, leaving Islam behind.

Yet, amidst the chaos, Islam remains positive. He continues to volunteer at a distribution center, risking his life daily to help families in need. Even before the war, he dedicated his time to volunteering with The Hands Up Project, connecting children in Gaza with people worldwide.

Now, Islam needs our help. Your support could be the lifeline he's been waiting for. We're asking for donations, big or small, to help Islam and his family evacuate to Egypt.

Questions and answers

Why do we need to raise so much?

The only way out of Gaza is through the costly Rafah border. With fees totaling around $20,000 for Islam's family. We will be using Hala agency (the cheapest option). They charge $5K per adult, and $2.5K per child. We're adding a buffer to ensure they're settled in Egypt.

What's the plan once they reach Egypt?

Islam, with his teaching expertise, is confident he can support his family digitally and on the ground. He's also committed to continuing his work helping displaced families.

And if we don't reach our goal?

We'll be transparent. Any funds raised will be used to rebuild Islam's and his family's homes in North Gaza, ensuring they have a safe haven regardless of the outcome.