My name is Karam, and I am one of the genocide survivors in Gaza.

Whenever I come to write my story or talk about myself, I find myself recalling the countless number of times my family and I were forced to flee our beloved home, wanting to survive.

For over 13 times, we were forced to flee barefoot under heavy bombardment, with few belongings with us, heading to nowhere. Each time, I felt so lonely and helpless.

There were days and nights when we found nothing but the open air, the cold of the night, and its stillness to be our shelter. For many nights, we slept on the streets with no roof to protect us, no place to call home, and no sense of safety. There were days when we could hardly find anything to eat, safe water to drink, or a decent life to live like any other human being.

Throughout all of this, I held on to who I am at my core: a lawyer and a human rights worker. Even in the darkest moments, I knew I had a moral and human duty toward my people. I volunteered every day I could, helping families access food, water, and medicine safely and with dignity.

After one year during the genocide in Gaza, my faith and dedication led me to be awarded a scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in the Netherlands. This opportunity allowed me to continue my path in defending human rights and advocating for innocent people whose voices are silenced by war.

I am currently completing my studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam and will be receiving my master’s degree within a month. Unfortunately, I am facing a crisis that has dimmed every bit of joy I managed to hold onto despite the difficult circumstances I have endured. My student residence permit is about to expire. Unlike my fellow students, I have no country to return to or a home that is waiting for me.

The thought that I could become homeless again, after everything I have survived, makes me feel more lonely and more helpless.

I am asking for your support to help me cover the cost of my room for just one more year (€ 8500). This one-year period will allow me to find a stable path forward, seek legal solutions, and have a chance to start over.

The kindness and belief of people who supported my right to education and dignity have carried me this far. Your help now would give me something I have not felt in a long time: safety, stability, and a chance to rebuild my life.

Your support not only changes my story, it strengthens the many people I hope to serve in my work, people who may one day understand and claim their rights because someone once helped me stand on my feet.

Thank you for believing in survivors. Thank you for giving hope a chance

Yours sincerely,

Karam