✔ Tax-deductible for Canadian donors ✔ Zakat-Eligible
In October 2023, a family of six from Gaza embarked on a desperate journey to escape relentless violence and devastation. Their hope was simple yet profound: to find safety and a brighter future for their children.
But their path was marked by a devastating tragedy. One fateful night, as they sought shelter amidst the chaos, a bomb struck, claiming the life of a loving husband and father. In an instant, a family’s world was shattered. A mother became a widow, and four young children became orphans. The youngest, still too little to remember his father’s embrace, now faces a future filled with uncertainty.
With nothing but courage and faith, the grieving mother fled Gaza and spent five long, solitary months in Egypt, using every penny her late husband had left behind while waiting for a visa to Canada. When she finally arrived in Ottawa, her challenges were far from over. With no savings and no support network, she and her four children sought refuge with her brother’s family, only to find that he too was unemployed and struggling to provide for his own children.
This mother and her children are now in desperate need of our help.
Why Your Support Matters
This story is not unique to one family. Dozens of Gazan families are arriving in Ottawa after escaping unimaginable circumstances. Most arrive with nothing, having exhausted all their resources along the way.
While Canada offers safety, the financial and logistical challenges for these newcomers are immense:
- Housing Struggles: Families must secure rental units, often needing to pay first and last month’s rent upfront. Some landlords demand 6–12 months of rent due to the lack of credit history or stable employment.
- Limited Assistance: Government support is minimal and insufficient to cover basic needs. It can take months for work permits to be issued, leaving families in a precarious position.
- Daily Needs: Even essentials like groceries become an overwhelming burden for families who have lost everything.
Alhamdulillah, the Kanata Muslim Association has stepped in to provide urgent relief. To date, we have supported dozens of families in Ottawa with rent assistance, grocery gift cards, and other necessities. However, our funds are now critically low, even as new Gazan families continue to arrive here.
How You Can Help
Your donation will directly support families like this one by:
- Helping secure housing through rent assistance.
- Providing grocery gift cards to ensure children don’t go hungry.
- Offering a lifeline during their most vulnerable moments as they rebuild their lives.
A Call to Action
As Muslims, we are taught to respond to the cries of those in need. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” (Tirmidhi)
This is our opportunity to act—to support a mother who has endured unimaginable loss and to give her children hope for a better future, along with others like them. Every dollar you contribute is an act of mercy and solidarity, bringing relief to those who have nobody else to turn to.
Please donate generously to help our brothers and sisters from Gaza find stability and hope in their new homes. May Allah bless you and your family for your kindness and compassion.
Together, we can be the answer to their prayers, Insha Allah. May Allah bless you for your kindness.
Organizer
Kanata Muslim Association Inc.
Beneficiary