My name is Patricia Foster.

I came to know Maher Al-Afifi and his family during Maher’s illness and remained in close contact with his wife Reham throughout that time. Following Maher’s death, I have created this campaign with Reham’s knowledge and support to help her and their four children as they face the challenges of daily life in Gaza.

All funds raised will be transferred directly to Reham and her family.

“Our life before the war was completely different from what it is now.

We loved life. We loved other people. I always spoke about peace, and I still believe in peace. I hope that one day peace will come to my land.”

These are the words of Reham Al-Afifi.

When people hear about Gaza, it is easy to think in terms of news reports, political debates, statistics, or headlines. It is easy to forget that behind every headline are real people, real families, and real children.

This is one of those families.

Many people followed the story of Palestinian journalist and television director Maher Al-Afifi during his courageous struggle with cancer. Despite every effort to obtain treatment, Maher died far from home, leaving behind his wife Reham and their four children: Roa, Mahmoud, Fatima and Lina.

Maher’s story touched many people around the world. Since his death, a number of people have asked how they can continue to support the family he loved so deeply. This campaign is an opportunity to stand alongside Reham and the children as they face the difficult task of rebuilding their lives and maintaining hope in extraordinarily challenging circumstances.

What has stayed with me most in getting to know this family is not simply the hardship they have endured, but who they are.

Reham is a mother who, despite everything she has lost, still speaks about peace, still believes in hope, and still looks towards the future for her children.

Roa is now in tenth grade and dreams of becoming an artist.

Mahmoud is in eleventh grade and hopes one day to become a doctor. Reham tells me that he loves his brothers and sisters deeply, especially little Lina.

Fatima is now of fourth-grade age. Before the war she completed only her first year at school.

Lina attended kindergarten for just one month before the war. She is now of second-grade age.

Like children everywhere, they have dreams, talents, personalities and hopes for the future.

If you are a parent or grandparent, I invite you to pause for a moment. Think about the children in your own family.

Think about what they enjoy doing, what they are learning at school, what they dream of becoming, and the ordinary moments that make up family life.

Then think of Roa, Mahmoud, Fatima and Lina. Different children perhaps, but not different hopes.

Today, Reham is not only carrying the grief of losing her husband. She is also trying to navigate the daily realities of life in Gaza while caring for four children and helping them hold on to those hopes and dreams.

Providing food, meeting basic needs, maintaining some sense of stability, and supporting the children’s wellbeing have become daily challenges. Yet, like parents everywhere, Reham wants more than survival for her children. She wants them to learn, to grow, to dream and to believe that a future is still possible.

As the situation in Gaza continues to worsen day by day, and as families face ever greater uncertainty, that task becomes even more difficult.

We cannot change the course of this tragic situation on our own. But we can choose to recognise one family.

We can choose to let Reham and her children know that they are seen, that they matter, and that they are not alone.

The purpose of this campaign is not simply to help a family survive. It is to help a mother protect her children’s hopes for the future.

Because the world needs more mothers like Reham: mothers who, despite profound loss, continue to believe in peace, continue to care for their children, and continue to nurture their dreams.

By supporting this campaign, you are helping a mother protect those dreams and giving a family the reassurance that others care about what happens to them.

Over the coming weeks I will share more of this family’s story in Reham’s own words, together with photographs and stories about the children themselves. My hope is that people will come to know not only the challenges they face, but also the courage, love, resilience and humanity that continue to sustain them.

Every donation, no matter how small, will help.

And if you cannot donate, please consider sharing their story.

Thank you for standing with Reham, Roa, Mahmoud, Fatima and Lina, and for helping them hold on to hope for the future.