(para la traducción al español, haga clic aquí)

Thank you for coming to the GoFundMe for my friend Shahed. Your presence on the page of this campaign already shows me your generous spirit. I hope when you learn more about this beautiful and talented little girl, you will donate to her survival:

Hello world. My name is Shahed and I am a 9-year-old emerging artist from Gaza. I've lived through two years of genocide and survived death several times, most notably when my uncle's house next door was bombed at 1 a.m. I emerged from under the rubble and smoke only to discover that I had lost my beloved aunt and my young cousin, along with 18 other members of my family. I suffered from hunger during the famine, ate spoiled food several times, and went to bed with an empty stomach many nights. But none of that stopped my brush. I painted what I felt and what I wished for. I started art at the age of five with the help of my mother and continued my artistic development during the two years of war. I achieved international recognition when I painted a picture of the Sumud fleet and their effort to reach us here in Gaza. Alhumdulilah, the drawing was shared by numerous international news outlets. My latest success was reaching Miss Rachel when she embroidered my boat drawing on her dress for her 2025 Woman of the Year ceremony. I am so proud of these accomplishments. But the road is still difficult.

I still live in harsh conditions today and I lacks basic necessities like clean water and nutritious food. I have been deprived of education and play, which all children should have the right to access. Drawing is my only means of hope, solace, and survival. Your donation is a powerful act of humanity and solidarity. Every dollar means the world to me. It is the opportunity I need to continue pursuing my dream of spreading art as a form of peaceful resistance. I hope I can continue to be a messenger of hope from Gaza to the world.

About the campaign manager:

My name is Chloe and I am an American currently living in Spain and working as an English teacher. When I was young, I learned about atrocities like the Holocaust and the transatlantic slave-trade. The stories of the oppressed moved me deeply and taught me the necessity of fighting for victims of horrible cruelty and persecution. I never imagined I would watch such sadistic crimes against humanity be carried out for the whole world to witness in real time. But once the genocide started, I knew I had to act.

I met Shahed and her mother on Instagram after seeing her stunning artwork and we quickly became friends. She has so much skill, vision and potential. But in order to continue her work she needs safety and the financial means to survive the ongoing siege. We set up this account together to do just that: support Shahed's survival and artistic development. If you would like to join this mission, please donate and share her story. The funds will provide Shahed Mahmoud and her family with basic needs like food, water, shelter, dental needs, hygiene products, communication and transport needs, along with materials to continue her artwork. Thank you so much for being here.