Help Shahed and her family survive in Gaza

March 29th Update:

Shahed had to flee from her hometown again. She has been forcibly displaced to Gaza City, and she has shared this message with me:

"You ask me who I am?

I am all the homeless things, those searching for a safe place to settle. I am the unfinished stories and unfulfilled dreams. I am mixed feelings pulsating with love, sadness, and hope. I am all those moments when souls touched, and everything that words failed to express. I am the winds that whisper the secrets of the night, and the waves that cry passionately towards the shore.

If you want to know who I am, open your hands and let all those things find their home in yours. Because I am searching for an embrace that will embrace my scattered parts and reorganize the lost meanings in the depths of my soul.

My name is Shahed, I am 18 years old, from Palestine, Gaza. We lived through a war for a year and a half, and thank God, our Lord tested the strength of our faith and patience. God willing, I will be among those who "give good tidings to the patient." I live in northern Gaza, specifically the city of Beit Lahia. We had two homes. My life was very sweet, spent in school, and since I was in the last year of school, I put all my effort into studying at college. We studied medicine and got tired, but fate willed it and the war happened that destroyed my entire life, buried a stage of my life, buried my dreams, buried us with life, October 7th, and I stayed up all night studying because I had a test. I slept at 5 and woke up at 6:30. I found rockets going up. I went up. The world turned upside down. I thought I was dreaming. We left our house because it was in a border area. I went up to our other house. A week after the war, they dropped leaflets on us, telling us to go to the south, but we didn’t know anyone in the south. Where to go?

We stayed in our house and couldn’t sleep at night because of the sound of the shelling. One day, I was trying to sleep and found the world was black, just black, and everyone was screaming. I called out to them, but it was screaming, screaming. The dust filled the place, and the plane was dropping rockets. The sound of the shelling was in my ears. To this moment, I wished that before this day, I had gone to the south.

I went through the Netzarim crossing. The tanks were surrounding us, and there was gunfire and screaming. I arrived in the south after a very long journey. After that, The news of the evacuation of Rafah came, I headed to Deir al-Balah in the middle of the Strip, I built a tent and sat waiting for the day I would return to my home Then I received the news that my room was bombed. I prayed to God that the news was a lie, but unfortunately, neither a picture nor a memory remained. I was sad, but I said, "Thank God for the house that contains me." But I will return because living in tents is not a life. Unfortunately, in the summer it is difficult and in the winter it is bitterly cold. I received the news that the two houses were bombed. Yes, both of our houses were destroyed. I sat contemplating where we would go, dreaming about my house, trying to deny this shocking news. I looked at my mother, exhausted after hearing this news. We denied the news, but our house was photographed. Unfortunately, both houses were destroyed. Our memories are gone, our shelter is gone, and all our memories are gone. Where will I go?

The pain of loss never goes away, even if days pass, but the reward of the patient is greater. It wasn't just goodbye. They took the road, the streets, our lives, our souls, and everything we love. A bad and tiring day. A bad and miserable night, also full of crying and sadness. Exhaustion is passing through all my limbs. I am exhausted. I don't know what to do. Life and overthinking have exhausted me. I haven't healed and I haven't overcome anything at all. I just pile one wound on top of another and let the days pass over it. The desire to talk about what is happening has faded. I live in a tent on the rubble of our house. ✌

Please help me and my family so we can at least provide for our daily needs. I'm not adapting, I'm forced.

Finally, my message to my sweetheart, Kristina. I love you. I am the distant one who gave you the most sincere feeling. There are no words to express everything you did. Thank you very much to you, and thank you very much to everyone who helped me. I thank you one by one, my loves. ♥️"

March 12th Update:

Shahed was able to walk back to the North of Gaza a few days after the January 19 ceasefire. She found only rubble.

With the first monetary transfer Shahed was able to move her family (her mother and 3 younger brothers) back to the north. Shahed was also able to secure a tent.

Now, we need to make sure that they can purchase food and further supplies to survive.

please consider donating if you have the means.

Thank you always,

Kristina

Hello, my name is Kristina, and I have started this campaign on behalf of Shahed Wael and her family. I met Shahed earlier this year and want to help her.

Please read her story below:

"My name is Shahed, I am 18 years old . I live in Gaza. I was studying for high school. I was about to achieve my dream and raise my family's heads high in me and everyone around me would be proud of me. But. My dream was stolen from me. My dream is gone, and those who would have been proud of me are gone. Our laughter has been stolen. We are now living in a place that does not belong to us. We are living in a reality that is not ours. Please help me and my family so that we can provide at least some food. Thank you. May you all be well. All respect and appreciation to you."

All funds raised in this campaign will go towards providing Shahed and her family food, treatment for injuries, and shelter to survive. I will be sending the funds directly to Shahed via wire transfer.

Shahed and her family have been displaced from the North to the central region. They are sheltering in tents and do not have easy access to money to purchase food and supplies (diapers, hygiene products, etc.).

Please send what you can to this campaign if you have any means. Any amount helps out this family that has been displaced, seen unimaginable loss, and is struggling to survive.

We appreciate your kindness and generosity.

Thank you,

Kristina