My name is Diaa Kamel Abu Adwan, and I am 30 years old. Today, I am the unlikely head of a family of 25 people, displaced, exhausted, and desperately holding onto hope. We are currently sheltering in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, but our home and our normal lives were destroyed long ago.

For two years, we have been living in this nightmare—displaced more than five times, stripped of every basic necessity. The situation is not just bad; it is extremely bad. There is no work, no stability, and no way for me to provide the help my family so urgently needs.

A Family Broken by War and Illness

My family is not just a number; it is a tapestry of love, struggle, and immense suffering:

My Elderly Parents: My father, Kamel (63), recently suffered a debilitating stroke. My mother, Subhiyya (59), battles chronic diabetes and high blood pressure, needing constant care and medication I cannot afford.

Wounded Brothers: My brothers, my anchors, are now casualties of war. Imad (33) was severely wounded and suffers from memory loss and difficulty moving his right hand. Wissam (19) was wounded in the abdomen. Their injuries have put an impossible weight on my shoulders.

The Sick and Expectant: My brother Ahmed (27) endures constant intestinal problems and has had a liver resection. His wife, Hanin (26), is nine months pregnant, suffering from severe malnutrition and anemia, while their little daughter, Malak (2), deserves a better start to life.

Sisters in Need: My sisters, Maysa (38) and Mona (30), need help simply to survive, while Maysa struggles to care for her three young sons: Muhammad (11), Muhannad (10), and Adam (8).

Our Dream is Simple: A Decent Life



With my two brothers injured, I became responsible for 25 people—a majority of them are children who are being deprived of everything, including education.

This is what your donation will achieve:

Life-Saving Medical Treatment: Provide critical medication for my parents and secure urgent medical care for my two injured brothers and sick siblings.

Food Security for 25: Ensure our family—especially the 11 children—receives regular, nutritious food. We cannot face another day without the certainty of a meal.

Basic Essentials: We desperately need the simplest things: blankets, hygiene supplies, and safe shelter to endure this displacement.

A Chance to Rebuild a Home: Our home was bombed. We dream of building a safe, permanent dwelling where my family can finally feel secure, where my nieces and nephews can finally go to school, and where we can live a life of dignity, not just survival.

A decent life has become only a dream for my family and me. Please, help me make this dream come true. Your support is not just a donation; it is a lifeline that restores hope, health, and dignity to 25 people who have nowhere else to turn.

Please help the Abu Adwan family start to heal and rebuild.

Who set up this fundraiser?

My name is Renee Lewis and I am setting up this campaign on behalf of Diaa. That's because GoFundMe requires the person who creates the page to be located in specific countries. The U.S. is on the list but Palestine is not.

I am from Washington state and have lived and worked in Palestine. I got to know Diaa through a friend of hers - Ahmed Mushtaha, the founder of the Gaza Circus School.

The money raised here gets to Diaa in Gaza via several steps. First, the funds are transferred into my bank account, then it can be sent via PayPal. Then Diaa would receive a notification of that and she could bring that to local money exchanges in Gaza. The economy and infrastructure in Gaza has been destroyed, so the means of sending money has to be fluid. This is one way it is done.

If you have any questions about me or Diaa or the fundraiser, feel free to contact me!