Help Shahed and Abdullah's family survive and regain hope
Donation protected
Update (9/27/24)
In the midst of horrific violence and nearly-unlivable conditions, we write to share some joyful news: Shahed is pregnant with our first child! This week, we celebrated Shahed’s birthday and her pregnancy with our loved ones. We cooked sweets and cultivated hope for the future of our family. Dear ones, please consider donating again to support our growing family through continued hardship. We have had to spend a considerable amount of the money raised on daily survival, including food and supplies, and fixing our tent after a recent rainstorm knocked it down. We still want to raise money to evacuate our family when the crossing opens. Thank you for your support; it is keeping us alive and giving us hope.
Photos of the rainstorm and its destruction:
Update (9/10/24):
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated. We want to let people know that the named beneficiary on the account is switching from M. to Ramsey-- M. will still be helping, but Ramsey will be collecting and sending the new donations (we will work as a team). Your donations are extremely valuable-- we've needed to spent much money on basic survival as we have been displaced again and again and are now facing terrifying conditions in Deir Al-Balah. Food, medicine, and fuel is extremely expensive. We and our family members are dealing with illness and unhygienic conditions. We still hope to evacuate ourselves and our entire families once the crossing re-opens, and given how much money we have needed to spend on survival, we are increasing our goal. Please continue to give and share our fundraiser.
Update (4/23): Thank you to everyone who has donated. We have raised the money to start the process for our evacuation and are waiting for our names to be called-- we will keep you updated on our progress. We now want to start raising money to evacuate our families so they can join us safely in Egypt. Our families include several children as young as 10 and our parents who are in their 60s. Abdullah's mother has cancer and needs medical care. Conditions continue to worsen in Rafah and we are terrified for the safety of all of our loved ones.
Update (3/19)— due to deteriorating conditions and the imminent risk of Israeli ground invasion, and the worsening of our health, we have decided to leave Gaza. We have distributed supplies from the funds we have raised so far and are now going to raise funds to help us escape from Rafah and save our lives. Once we have safely escaped, we will work to continue to send funds across the border while bypassing the high fees imposed by money transfer services in Gaza. Thank you for your help. - Shahed and Abdullah
Note: Due to difficulties around money transfer in Gaza, Ramsey Kamar is helping to collect and send the money that will be used to help us get into Egypt and also to continue to buy live-saving food.
Hello, my name is Shahad Awad and my husband is Abdullah. We are reaching out to our community in a sincere plea. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a huge difference in helping us. Your support during this extremely difficult time will give us hope in the midst of despair. Your generosity will not only help us provide food, clothing and warmth to children in cold weather, but will also help us restore our faith in the kindness of humanity. Despite the difficulties we face during the war on Gaza, I continue to provide aid in Gaza. And content creation. On my Instagram account (Shahed Al Komi)
Fundraising team (3)
Shahed Awad
Organizer
Hardwick, MA
Ramsey Kamar
Beneficiary
M Caplan
Team member