Help Hatem's Family Survive Gaza's War

My name in Nina Christine Gorman (D.O.B. 11-18-57) a psychology teacher and counselor from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. I am doing this campaign to assist my friend in Khan Yunis, Gaza, Hatem Mohammed Juma Al Najjar (D.O.B. 2-18-01) and his wife Sujod Muhammed Ruhi Al Najjar (D.O.B. 11-31-04) and their 1 year old baby Maha survive in the horrendous war in Gaza. I came to know them through a mutual friend in Gaza and through personal conversations on social media face book about five months ago. Like all Palestinians in Gaza they are enduring a war beyond imagination with bombings that happen day and night for almost a year now destroying 88% of the housing, all of the universities, most of the water and sewage infrastructure and a near total blockade of fuel, food, electricity, medications and medical supplies. Like most Palestinians in Gaza, the family struggles to find a little food, drinking water, and milk. Like most with their home bombed and destroyed they live in a tent that is sweltering in the summer and freezing in the winter and frays with leaks when it rains. Prices have skyrocketed since the main food that does get in is from merchants from Israel with scarcity so that a spray cleaner is 30 dollars, and a pair of shoes 50 dollars.

The children with little Maja no exception are especially prone to rashes, and stomach viruses due to the contamination of water and the sand where the tents are pitched back to back and toilet facilities are nil. What they fear most is that they will be injured or die (like so many in Gaza who endure amputations, burns and maiming with little or no pain medications) leaving little Maja alone. I urge you to donate even just a little to help the family survive. They need blankets, milk and diapers, and food and a little savings so that they can get shelter with housing out of the tent when the war is over. Every dollar counts and your generosity is most appreciated. (Budget posted below).

Here is Hatem in his own words:

My name is Hatem from Khan Yunis, Gaza in the area of Abasan, Khan Yunis. I am 23 years old. Before the war things were difficult with paying for our housing, food and with our new baby Maha who my wife Sujod and I were thrilled to have. We were looking forward to a happy family life despite our hardships and my challenges with keeping work sufficient to pay our bills with the high employment rate of almost 50%. Then came the war. Our house was bombarded and with it all of our possessions and many memories and dreams. Maja only four years old screamed and cried every night with the bombings and now not quite as much since this is our life now but she still gets scared and gets sick sometimes is not how she used to be.

We do not know each day if we will live or die so Sujod and I say I love you every night and we kiss Maha not knowing if she will survive the bombings and illness. We fear death the most because we do not know who will take care of her if we are not here. She still cries and cannot sleep with the nightly explosions and my wife, and I hold each other and Maja, hide in the blankets and hope we live to see another day.

Sujod and I skip meals so that Maja will not be malnourished and sick like so many children in Gaza. It is very hard to afford vegetables and we have not had chicken in months since is so expensive. We cannot afford sufficient milk and diapers for our baby. We need blankets and a cover for the tent for winter. When it rains hard it frays. We have no pillows since they are so expensive. We have no heat for the winter or money for clothes. We fear Maja she will get hepatitis and fever and die like so many babies have and we need transportation funds for when she or we get sick. We need cleaners so we do not get sick but cannot afford 30 dollars for cleaners or 50 for shampoo. She grows fast and needs some changes of clothes and we all need shoes and jackets but everything is high like three times as high as before the war. I apologize for not showing wife in picture but it is our Islamic custom and culture.

Despite Gaza being nearly totally destroyed even most of hospitals, we do not want to leave our country. We want to survive here and hopefully rebuild our house and have a happy life some day. If you can bring your heart to share with us just a little we will be happy and have more faith that we can make it through the war and have a life again free of fear, hunger and sickness. Thank you very much for your kindness. We will never forget it.

Here is the Budget for the Campaign

Food for Family for 3 months 1000 (333 per month) for beans, flour, noodles, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, onions and zuchini, fruit and milk

Diapers for baby for 3 months 300 (100 per month)

Cleaning supplies including shampoo, soap and spray cleaner 240 (80 per month)

Transportation including for healthcare 180 (60 per month)

Blankets, mattresses and pillows 300 sufficient for winter

Clothes for family of 3 for 3 months 480 (160 per month) including outer wear, pajamas, shoes and jackets and underwear

Tent Maintenance for 3 months 220 for nylon, fabric, wood and nails

Heater for tent and battery 300

Savings for down payment for new home 3000 (1000 per month)

Total 6,020

All donations will be transferred from my USA bank account to the secure paypal of Hatem Al Najjar