Starting Fresh: Housing Gaza Arrivals in Australia

Team fundraiser

Palestinian Christians in Australia and 7 others are organizing this fundraiser.

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So many Aussies feel frustrated and powerless as we witness the suffering in Gaza, but our community campaign provides a tangible opportunity for you to make a real difference in the lives of those deeply affected.

Palestinian families, having recently arrived on special visas, are embarking on a new chapter here in Australia, as they seek refuge from the wreckage of their lives back in Gaza.

Stripped of everything, they’re looking for a fresh start.

Let’s help these innocent families settle and feel welcome here in the lucky country.

Who we are

I'm Suzan Wahhab, President of the Palestinian Christians in Australia (PCiA), extending heartfelt greetings. Since arriving as a teenager, I've thrived in this country, thanks to the love and support of my family and the generosity of the Australian people.

I’m joined by Mago Shaheen, Fundraising Director and board member for PCiA. Commencing as a volunteer in Palestinian refugee camps, Mago is one of those powerful Palestinian women who demonstrates what it means to convert empathy into decisive action.

But formal titles aside, we’re also mothers, aunties, daughters, and engaged members of the vibrant, loving Palestinian community here in Sydney.

It’s been a heartbreaking few months for us, but we’ve found solace in the impact we’ve made so far, and now we’re calling on the wider Australian community to help us drive that impact even further.

Recent Achievements:

Secured Homes: We've successfully secured leases for nine families, providing stable shelter with six months rent covered upfront.

Education Access: Enrolled the children of these families in local public schools or secured scholarships at local Catholic schools, ensuring brighter prospects.

Furnished Comfort: Furnished their homes with everything from furniture to linen, and kitchen utensils, offering a sense of comfort and home.

Pressing Needs Ahead:

Despite these initial successes, we have been inundated with emails, calls, and texts as more displaced Palestinian families arrive in Australia.

We are currently trying to house and settle nine more families and anticipate the arrival of up to 50 more families in the coming months.

It is with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment that we organised this fundraiser, appealing to your compassion and generosity.

Building Hopeful Futures:

Many of these people were successful, highly educated, and hard-working citizens, and they look forward to being self-sufficient moving forward.

We have engineers, accountants, architects, lawyers, doctors, dentists, aid development specialists, psychologists, jewelers, and entrepreneurs who are ready to join Australia’s workforce and contribute to our thriving economy.

However, due to legal restrictions, they cannot work until their current visas convert to protection visas.

Despite these challenges, they eagerly anticipate contributing to Australia’s economy once they can fully participate in the workforce

Your practical support makes these people feel welcome as they find their feet and settle in Australia.

Where Your Support Goes:

We’re currently looking at rentals that average $550/week with a focus on housing young families with children.

A substantial portion of the $128,700 we seek to raise will cover the rent for nine more families for six months.

Any extra funds raised will assist with groceries, utilities, transport costs, and other essential living expenses.

Gratitude and Solidarity

We extend our heartfelt gratitude for standing with us in this tragic period of our community’s history. The people of Gaza remain in our thoughts, and we pray for a swift end to the immense suffering they are experiencing.

Yours sincerely,

Suzan Wahhab, President of Palestinian Christians in Australia

Mago Shaheen, Fundraising Director at Palestinian Christians in Australia

A little about PCiA:

The Palestinian Christians in Australia organisation (PCiA) is a registered charity in Sydney. It was formed to provide a home for the many proud Palestinian Christians spread across this vast land.

PCiA aims to create an inclusive, democratic, non-denominational, and credible platform that provides a voice of those Christians who are united in their belief and culture.

Our organisation is ecumenical, voluntary, not-for-profit and non-partisan. All funds raised via this GoFundMe will go towards helping newly arrived Gazans of all beliefs as they settle in Australia.

Special thanks to Jacquie Manning for these wonderful photos!

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