Help Sohaib's Neighborhood Rebuild and Thrive

My name is Sunny Chornomaz. I live in the Pacific Northwest in the U.S., near the Canadian border. I am helping my brother Sohaib Aburadia to raise emergency mutual aid for him and his family.

Sohaib and his family live in Khan Yunis, in the Gaza Strip of Palestine. They used to have a house, but it has been destroyed by the occupation. Even before the latest 18 months of hardships, their family struggled to get by. He told me, "We used to eat tree leaves [Khabaza] to keep ourselves calm," due to regular food insecurity.

On March 18th, their tent, which housed their family, was destroyed by the occupation. Sohaib explained, "He was saved from death by a miracle." He reached out to me and through some generous friends' donations, we were able to help them purchase a new tent for the family.

Now, there are 9 who live in their tent together: brothers Ahmad, Amr, Abdullah, Sohaib, and Motataz; his mother Wafa (which actually means Loyalty in Arabic); sister Maram; nephew Firas; and his grandmother Hedba.

Hedba is 87 years old. She is dealing with diabetes and high blood pressure, but medical services are severely limited due to recent blockades and restrictions.

Sohaib's father, Mohammed, died of complications from malnutrition on March 14th this year. He was buried the next morning, but only three people were allowed to gather for his burial due to restrictions.

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We're collecting donations from family, friends, and community members who have at least $5 to spare. To those that have already donated, it is deeply appreciated and has caused immediate relief for the family.

This formal fundraising page has a series of goals. First, the initial money will go towards buying food for the family. Due to a 2.5-week and counting blockade, aid has not been entering the Strip. Canned food has been available, but the prices have high inflation. There are some medical treatments needed for 4 family members, which is also the highest priority.

We're trying to secure more donations than just a few weeks of food supply. Because the family is living in a tent, they don't have any kind of facilities for using the bathroom. A few hundred dollars will allow them to construct a basic toilet situation.

Beyond that, Sohaib wants to re-open a kiosk--a small stand where he sells coffee, tea, water, and small needs for children. He will be able to provide for his family once he gets his small business set up.