** DESCRIPTION UPDATE OF RAGHAD & HER FAMILIES SITUATION IN GAZA & HOW DONATIONS ARE BEING USED **
Hello kind hearts,
My name is Raghad AbuDagga, I am 24 years old, and I am writing to you from Gaza.
Almost two years ago, this campaign was created to help my family escape the war.
Thanks to your incredible generosity, we have so far raised 149,000 AUD.
For the past two years, your donations were our only lifeline. They kept us alive. Every dollar was carefully spent on survival: food, medicine, water, and basic needs for nine family members. Without your support, we would not have survived these endless days of fear and hunger.
Now, everything is gone. We are living in a tent, not a house. Our daily survival is a constant struggle. To give you a clear picture, here is what a single daily meal for our family of nine looks like:
The total cost of the ingredients is around $500 USD, and after a 45% withdrawal fee, we have only $275 USD to cover everything. From this, we must allocate $20 for water for drinking and daily use.Another $20 for firewood to cook, as there is no gas. Flour, sometimes reaching $100 per kilo — enough to make only 10 pieces of bread for nine people. Vegetables, such as tomatoes, costing up to $100 per kilo, providing just a small portion for the meal. Other essentials, like oil, cheese, sauce, and spices, which can cost $10 per spoonful, yet are necessary to make even a simple meal edible. Even this simple meal requires careful planning and sacrifice. There were days when we had almost nothing, days when even bread was a dream.
I watched my mother’s dream house reduced to rubble. I saw my father lose the building he worked his whole life for. The war came when I was 21, and I dreamed of a different future as a software engineer, working in a safe country, achieving my ambitions, and building my life.
Today, at 24, I don’t know how the years passed… My dreams have turned into a daily struggle to survive in a tent, between fear, hunger, and destruction, while my heart waits for the chance to live with dignity and hope.
Our only goal now is simple but urgent:
To survive day by day in Gaza until we can find safe passage out.
To migrate to a country that will give us a chance to live with dignity, rebuild our dreams, and start fresh after years of war and destruction.
This campaign is in Australian dollars (AUD).
Your past donations saved our lives. Your support today can give us hope — not just to survive another day, but to one day finally leave this nightmare and live in safety.
Please, help us survive. Help us find a new home. Help us live.
With endless gratitude,
Raghad & Family
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Hello everyone,
My name is Rebecca Taylor, and I was born and am living in Australia.
My friend from Gaza is seeking to raise donations to help her family safely leave Gaza or rebuild their home if they are allowed to return. Due to restrictions imposed by GoFundMe, as well as the geographical location of her family, I have decided to assist in organizing this campaign. All donations will go directly to Raghad and her family.
We hope for your support, as any small contribution will have a significant impact on helping her family reach safety.
Below is the story of my friend Raghad and her family:
I am Raghad AbuDagga, a 22-year-old software engineer, speaking from the heart of Gaza, a place that was once vibrant with life and has now become painfully marked by the effects of wars that spared no one.
This picture above, I took in a moment of discussing my first graduation project, and I received an excellent grade with honors. I felt the desire to take a picture with the graduation stole that I had dreamed of wearing in September, which I made and prepared for this day that I had been looking forward to for a whole year, as I was supposed to graduate this year. But my dream was greatly affected by the devastating effects of the war, and as the conflict escalated, my dreams shattered, and the foundations on which my hopes were built collapsed. This picture not only represents my first educational victory but also serves as a reminder of a harsh reality showing that war is capable of destroying the dreams of individuals striving for a better future.
Our old home, which was once a refuge for laughter and love, has now been torn apart and distorted by the ruthless touch of war. Our new home, which we have not yet inhabited and which my mother dreamed of and hoped to live in, has been demolished by the occupation above my mother’s dream of living in it. The two-story building, the only source of income for my father, has been demolished by the occupation above my father’s aspirations to secure a better financial future for us. Every corner of the destruction around us is a stark reminder of the peace and tranquility that seem like distant dreams.
A picture of the rubble of the two houses.
Ruins of the two-storey building.
This war has not only destroyed our physical home but also shattered our educational foundations. It has shattered my university where I study completely, along with the graduation hall where I had always imagined myself walking proudly with my certificate. This day was a dream for me. My siblings, who were once eager to embark on their educational journey, are now standing at a crossroads where the rubble of war obscures their paths to learning and growth as well.
In Gaza, my homeland of dreams, the scene changes permanently due to wars, as war takes more from us than can be imagined. Yet we still strive to rebuild our shattered lives amidst the rubble.
In the aftermath of the recent devastating events in Gaza, these photos serve as a stark testimony to the harsh reality we currently face. The shots reveal the effects of the airstrikes on our old home, our new home and our own building. The photos not only show the physical destruction but also embody the deep emotional impact on our lives. As we navigate through the ruins and remnants of what was once our refuge, our dream, and our source of livelihood, the world witnesses the indelible impact of the conflict on innocent civilians. It is a painful reminder of the urgent need for assistance and support as we strive to rebuild our shattered lives amidst the ruins of what was once a vibrant community.
As we face harsh reality, this fundraising campaign is more than just a plea for help; it is a call for collective support and an opportunity to unite hearts in rebuilding what war has torn apart, whether rebuilding the walls we live under or rebuilding souls that feel peace in Egypt.
The funds collected will be carefully allocated for the following purposes:
Firstly, it will contribute to providing a safe passage to Egypt, which is a vital step for the family’s safety.
Secondly, the funds will be allocated to provide temporary accommodation for the family in Egypt, giving them stability and the opportunity to explore the best path for their future.
Finally, it will cover initial living expenses in Egypt, granting the family the time and space needed to relax and rebuild their lives after the ordeal of the genocide in Gaza.
The cost per person to evacuate from Gaza is between $7,500AUD - $10,500AUD. To cover all the 9 family members we need at least $67,500AUD minimum. The remainder, approximately $5,500AUD if everyone can cross the Egyptian border for $7,500AUD per person, is to cover expenses living in Egypt and to start to rebuild their lives.
Please join me on this journey to rebuild not only our lives but also our laughter, memories, and the promise of a better tomorrow.
Your support is not just a donation; it is an investment in reclaiming dreams and rebuilding lives that war sought to dismantle.
Thank you for being a beacon of hope in these difficult times and this challenging situation.
With gratitude,
Raghad AbuDagga and her family
Disclaimer:
Please note that this campaign is organized and managed by Rebecca Taylor and Raghad AbuDagga. Rebecca will be responsible for overseeing the fundraising and ensuring its use, along with Raghad, solely to cover the evacuation fees or reconstruction fees and related expenses for our family members:
AbdulRahman (my father, 50 years old)
Iman (mother, 43 years old)
Fatima (my grandmother, 85 years old)
Raghad (22 years old)
Leen (my sister, 20 years old)
Mai (my sister is 18 years old)
Muhammad (my brother, 17 years old)
Muhannad (my brother, 14 years old)
Zain (my brother, 10 years old)
We are ready to provide more details, answer inquiries, and if necessary, share documents to confirm the validity of our situation and urgency.
Rebecca's instagram link:
Raghad's instagram link:
Organizer
Rebecca Taylor
Organizer
New South, Wales