Dear compassionate community,

My name is Shimaa Muhaisen. Today, I am reaching out with an urgent plea that comes straight from my heart for help to reunite me with my family, who are currently stuck in Gaza due to the horrific war.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza sadly impacts my family, placing five of my loved ones in peril. They are currently living in tents with nothing to protect them from the cold weather or rain except summer clothes and light covers. They struggle for basic needs and constantly fear for their lives. My mother now suffers from chronic bone pain due to the cold, and there is a lack of medication due to the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.

Our family story is a tapestry of disrupted lives, each one with a story and a dream deferred. Our family's displacement is not just physical; it's a displacement of hope and security. From living under open skies in makeshift tents to facing acute shortages of food, water, and medical care, their resilience is being tested every moment. Our family fled, leaving behind their home, which my parents spent their lives building, along with most of their belongings and essentials.

My family includes my parents and my three brothers.

Personal Appeal:

Our families have known displacement too well. We grew up in refugee camps in Al-Shatee camp, enduring hardships that are now haunting our loved ones again. Living in Canada, we're reminded daily of the stark contrast in safety and stability we experience here. The despair of losing contact and the routine dread of losing someone overnight - these fears are our reality. My aunt lost her only son. I cannot imagine that her son and my brothers were sitting together every day! He was killed in the same place where he and my brothers sit every day! Since then, I have been living in nightmares about waking up to the news of the loss of one of them, or even all of them. We have lost many relatives, and some were taken to an unknown destination, and we do not know whether they are alive or dead.

We've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of safety and stability in Canada. We yearn to offer our family the same sense of security we've found here. We are grateful to the Canadian government for this reunification opportunity, but we need your help to make it a reality. Your support is not just about funds; it's about extending a hand of humanity to those in dire need.

How Donations Will Help:

Each donation is a beacon of hope. It will provide a temporary safe haven for my family in Egypt and assist in their resettlement in Canada. With rising living costs, especially housing, your support becomes even more crucial. It's about giving them a foundation to rebuild their lives, to transition from survival to living, and eventually contributing to the community as we have been striving to do. Your support is more than financial; it's a lifeline.

Your donations play a pivotal role beyond immediate financial aid; they serve as tangible proof to the Canadian government that I can fulfill my responsibilities as an anchor for my family, in line with the eligibility requirements of the reunification program. It is imperative for us to demonstrate that our family members will not be reliant on public assistance upon their arrival in Canada. With your support, we can ensure that they have the means to live with dignity and, in time, like my wife and I, become contributing members of the community and active participants in the Canadian economy. Your generosity is not just a gift of funds; it’s an investment in the lives of individuals eager to build a new, productive, and meaningful life in Canada.

We are earnestly seeking your assistance to fund the reunification and subsequent settlement of our family in Canada. Every dollar raised through this campaign will be diligently used to cover a range of essential expenses for our family members. These costs include, but are not limited to:

Paperwork (biometrics, issuing passports, application fees, driver's licenses, insurance fees, mailing, etc.).

Accommodation until visas are granted.

Flights from Egypt to Ontario.

Establishment costs in Canada (accommodation, furniture, transportation, weather-appropriate clothing, phone lines, etc.).

If funds permit, pocket money for initial expenses and groceries.

English language classes.

I want to mention that my three brothers are academically outstanding. My older brother was in his final year of graduation in clinical nutrition. He was dreaming of moving on to a master’s degree immediately, followed by a doctorate. He was also learning French to make his travel easier so he could fulfill his dreams. My middle brother is very smart in the field of programming and computers. He was about to enter his first year of university. As for my younger brother, he was in his final year at school. He is the smartest, and my parents were waiting for him to finish school so he could move on and start human medicine at the university. The war destroyed everything, it destroyed the home, the school, the university, dreams, and everything. I am the only hope they have now to get them out of this injustice and find a better and purer life for them so they can live a decent life and achieve their dreams. I ask you to help me because the burden is heavy, and I really cannot do this without your help.