On Sunday afternoon, August 17th, my sister Solvei Stenslie lost her home in Tromsø together with almost all of her belongings. Her boat, which she had lived in for the last 6 years, burned down and is now completely uninhabitable.

All of her childhood belongings and sentimental items are gone. No clothes or shoes remain, while the winter season is approaching fast. Solvei is an active musician, and now all of her instruments, the things she needs for her work, are gone: ukuleles, guitar, banjo, and more. In this troubled time, she doesn’t even have the things that usually brought her comfort through tough times. The effort she put into her boat, all the repairs and adjustments made to make it hers, and the sentimental value of the possessions she lost can never be restored, but we can help her start rebuilding her life from scratch.

Her boat has come to symbolize her independence, freedom, courage, and so much of what she's worked for. Solvei has been endlessly giving as a sister, friend, and community leader, and you can certainly see that reflected in the rush of support that has been returned to her now. Fortunately, she's received significant support from her friends, family, and community in Norway through a fundraiser which just recently surpassed its goal of $10,000. Nevertheless, Solvei has a large community of friends and family in the United States, and I believe it's important for them to be able to express their support as well.

Thank you to everyone donating! Any contribution is deeply appreciated when faced with such devastating news.