Hi there! I'm Clark from the United States, and I'm launching this campaign to help my friend Muhammad and his family in Gaza.

Here's his story:

Hello friends, my name is Muhammad Al-Sharif. I'm 18 years old, and I live in the center of Gaza City, Palestine. I'm a twelth grade student, and I played as a goalkeeper in one of the football clubs in Gaza, the newest of which is the Gaza Sports Club.

I, like any other young man, have had ambitions and hopes since I was a child. My ambition was to become a football player in one of the famous clubs. I have been playing football, training, and participating in sports academies since I was little. I also love studying, and I have found a good balance in these aspects of my life. I trained and worked on developing myself until I started playing for a club in my hometown. These are photos of the clubs I have played for.

The morning of October 7, war broke out in Gaza. We woke up to the sounds of explosions, airstrikes, and shelling. After that, life came to a complete standstill. My sports career and my studies were halted. I sat at home, wondering what was happening to my city and when this war would end so I could return to my normal life. The war continued, and the entire school year was suspended. I dreamed of becoming a professional football player and playing for a club outside Palestine, but this dream has been shattered by the war.

Since the war's beginning, I haven't touched a football, and I've lost my physical fitness. All the stadiums and sports clubs are all closed, and most have been bombed. We are now living in a constant state of war. The occupation has deliberately targeted all aspects of life from schools, universities, and hospitals to parks and sports clubs. Despite the efforts and support my family has shown since childhood, we are all living in extremely difficult circumstances and deep sadness. I have lost the ability to obtain even the most basic necessities.

In the second month of the war, Gaza City experienced violent shelling and intensive air raids. My older brother was martyred in one of those air raids while returning home. His martyrdom shocked us, and caused us intense pain. Then, my area was warned to evacuate by the occupation in preparation for a major military operation. We were forced to leave our homes under a barrage of indiscriminate shelling. We sought refuge in other areas but they were never safe. There is no safe place in Gaza; everyone here is constantly under threat. We endured months of displacement in tents that offered no protection from the elements. We faced difficulty securing necessities like clean drinking water and food.

More than a year into this devastating war, the Ministry of Education announced a return to e-learning, since most schools were reduced to rubble or became shelters for the displaced. This news was a ray of hope. I resumed my dream of education, despite daily hardship, such as constant power outages which forced me to study by candlelight, the sounds of explosions and the constant roar of airplanes, the difficulty in accessing the Internet, and the enormous responsibility of supporting my family. But I did not give up on pursuing my childhood dream to study journalism and media to be a popular voice, convey our suffering to the world, and expose the crimes and violations committed by the occupation against our people.

This war has not only robbed us of our education and our playgrounds, but it has also robbed us of precious lives. I have lost my dear brother, my friends, my neighbors, my fellow athletes, my coaches, my media professionals, and my fans. I have lost dreams and a future I built with years of hard work and hope. I sincerely appeal to you to tand with me in these difficult circumstances and help me realize my dream outside Palestine so I can build my future beyond the ashes and destruction. This link represents a lifeline for me and my family; we rely on it to cover my education costs and daily expenses amidst exorbitant inflation and the months-long ban on aid entry. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference and brings me one step closer to realizing my dream of being Gaza's voice to the world.

Your donation will help Muhammad

✅ Provide food and water for his family

✅ Complete his studies

✅ Achieve his athletic dream when the borders open

With your support, you're restoring hope to a young man who has lost everything but his dream. Thank you for your generosity and time.