Fund Maher's Fight for Survival and Hope

Hello, my name is Maher Shaqura, I am 62 years old, and this is my story.

When I was seventeen, specifically on October 10, 1979, I was involved in a horrific accident in which I sustained severe injuries and lost the ability to walk, resulting in permanent paralysis of the lower half of my body. My loss was great at such a young age, but my life did not stop. I worked hard to develop myself and utilize the abilities I had left, becoming a basketball player for the Palestinian national team for the physically disabled, and I hold certificates for training courses in refereeing basketball for the physically disabled.

Over the past 30 years, I have held several important positions. I am a founding member of the Palestinian Basketball Federation and a board member of the Palestinian Paralympic Committee, in addition to the Basma Club for the Disabled. I was also one of the founders of the Association for the Physically Disabled and remain a board member to this day.

My most recent position was managing a medical center for the physically disabled in Gaza. I have done my utmost to serve this segment of society, which constitutes a significant percentage of the population of the Gaza Strip.

In 1995, I met my wife “Samira,” who worked in the field of rehabilitation for the disabled. She loved me despite my being wheelchair-bound, and we married despite the challenges we faced. We were not blessed with children, but we are happy together.

I lived in the “Al-Karamah” area of Gaza City, one of the first areas targeted by aerial bombing and fire belts at the start of the October 7th war. I was forced to evacuate my home in the first week of the war under bombardment with the help of the Red Cross, leaving behind my memories and all my possessions. My wife and I miraculously survived death.

Initially, I hoped to go to my new home, which I had finished building just a few months before the war began in the “Al-Zaytoun” area, designed to accommodate my special needs. Unfortunately, it was also destroyed by aerial bombing and artillery shells. Yes, I was left with nothing!

After that, I began to move from house to house and from one area to another. The difficulties my wife and I faced, given my disability and inability to move on my own without the help of a wheelchair, made our relocation from one place to another a struggle, not to mention the unsuitability of the places I moved to for my health condition and special needs.

After much thought, my wife and I decided to travel outside of Gaza due to my health conditions and the continuous need for care and medication, which became difficult to obtain in Gaza. The decision was not easy, but I had no other choice. My health and my wife’s health are deteriorating, and we are no longer young and cannot withstand these harsh conditions alone.

We are now displaced in “Rafah,” threatened with invasion at any moment by the occupation. Time is running out, and we need $10,000 to enable my wife and me to leave Gaza for Egypt via the Rafah land crossing as soon as possible, in addition to the costs of staying in Egypt and my necessary health needs detailed here:

• Rafah/Egypt Crossing: $5000 per adult (total $10000 for both of us)

• Accelerated exit fees from travel records: $1500

• Visa application fees: $250 per person (total $500 for both of us)

• Minimum living costs: $1000 per month (total $6000 for six months)

• Electric wheelchair for standing: $2000

Asking for help is not easy at all, especially for someone in my situation, but I believe there is still good in this world. Therefore, I hope you will help my wife and me to save ourselves from being killed and from destruction and to restore hope to our lives once again. I have given a lot to serve people throughout my life and still have much to offer, so I do not want my journey to end here as a victim of war.

We are grateful to everyone who will donate to us and appreciate your feelings and support for us.