My name is Yara, I’m 16 years old, and for as long as I can remember, art has been my safe place — the one world where I could breathe, dream, and feel alive.

Before the war, I lived in a home that felt like a small piece of paradise. I had my own room, my little art corner, my colors, my sketchbooks, and the quiet moments that helped me grow as an artist. I used to dream of becoming a global anime artist, sharing my drawings with people from all around the world.

But everything changed when the war started.

Our home — the place where I learned, laughed, and created — was destroyed. I lost my room, my bed, my drawings, and all the things that carried pieces of my childhood. Since then, my family and I have been displaced, moving between unsafe places and temporary shelters. Today, I’m living in a tent, surrounded by cold, rain, and a fear that never really goes away.

Even after losing almost everything, I kept holding on to the one thing that survived with me: my art.

I draw with whatever tools I can find. Sometimes it takes me days to finish one drawing because of the lack of materials, the cold weather, and the difficult living conditions — but I keep going. Art helps me stay hopeful.

It helps me remember who I was before all this pain. It reminds me that I still have dreams worth fighting for.

I dream of building my future again.

I dream of having a safe place where I can continue my education, buy art supplies, and develop my skills.

I dream of healing, of stability, and of a life where my drawings reach the world — not from a tent, but from a place where I can breathe freely.

This fundraiser means more than money to me.

It is a chance to rebuild the pieces of my life that were taken away.

It is a chance to return to school, to continue drawing, to provide basic needs for my family, and to feel safe again — even a little.

If you choose to support me, you’re not only helping an artist —

You’re helping a young girl try to reclaim her future, her education, her passion, and her hope.

Thank you for reading my story, for caring, and for giving me strength to keep going.

Your kindness means more than I can ever describe.

— Yara abu kwaik ❤️