Help The Alaqraa Family Survive & Evacuate

**Sponsor's note: When you see the amount earned, please understand that we began this fundraiser in February of 2023. EVERY SINGLE CENT IS GONE. We are in desperate need of new funds for the Alaqraas. Thank you so much for your care. ***

My name is Candice Valenzuela, I am 41 years old from Denver, Colorado and I have been fundraising to support the Al-Aqraa’ family since February 11th, when 17-year-old Nourhan called for urgent support on social media. Since that date, we have become friends, speaking daily and video chatting with her family in Deir Al-Balah. Nourhan is a fierce advocate for her family’s survival, especially that of her younger siblings who need medical treatment.

Please listen to her story, donate, and share widely to support their evacuation and survival. At the end, you can see a breakdown of how all funds are being used.

“I am Nourhan Ziyan Al-Aqraa from Gaza, specifically Deir al-Balah in the middle of Gaza. I am 17 years old and need urgent support for my family. There are 8 of us in Gaza and we are dying from war, hunger, and cold, unable to provide our simplest needs due to difficult circumstances. We urgently need to evacuate to get care for my three siblings who have a genetic condition that causes Growth Hormone Deficiency. They have not received medications for months and their health is declining.

Many people close to us have been martyred, and we lost our house in a bombing. At 17 years old, I have witnessed death and body parts everywhere. Our cousin's home was bombed, killing everyone in the family including my best friend. Every day that my father goes to get bread, I fear that he will not return. I fear that we will be next. I had a dream to be a doctor, every day that dream is dying.

Please help us any way you can.

Nourhan Ziyan Al-Aqraa, 17 years old

Below is my mother Rania Qasim Al-Abd Al-Aqra’ (43) and my father Ziad Sam Ahmed Al-Aqraa (51) with my oldest brother Ahmed. Ahmed lives in Algeria and is suffering because he relied on financial support from my parents before the war, but now they cannot send him anything as they lost their jobs.

Here are the rest of my siblings,

Muhammed Ziyad Al- Qaraa, 21 years old. (Fundraising through a separate account).

Hamza Ziyad Al-Qaraa, 14 years old (Fundraising through a separate account).

Raghad Ziyad Al-Aqra’, 12 years old

Batoul Ziad Al-Qaraa, 11 years old (left) and Lara Ziad Al-Aqraa, 7 years old (right)

Please do all you can to help us, as our situation is dire.

Cost of Survival: To feed and house a family of 8, it can cost over $200-$300/day. Gazans who are housed must still pay rent of $1000+ per month and tents cost up to 2K.

Cost of Evacuation: $5000/adult, $2500/child under 16.

For the Alaqraa family, the cost is as follows:

Over 16 years of age: Rania, Ziad, Mohammed, Nourhan = $20,000

Children under 16: Batoul, Hamza, Raghad & Lara = $10,000

Total Evacuation cost: $30,000

The additional funds are to cover the costs of survival while the family waits for the borders to re-open. As of 7/14/2024, the family has exhausted nearly all of the money raised on the cost of survival in the Gaza strip. If the borders open today, they could not yet afford to cross.

Share with your friends, donate and tell others!

This is our only hope. Your support is urgently needed.

Sincerely,

Nourhan & Candice

**updated 7/14/2024**