Between My Dream and My Niece’s Healing
Donation protected
A Battle for Life After Losing Everything
I am Omar, a man who lost his home, his work, and the life he once knew—but I have not lost my dream, nor my sense of responsibility toward those who need me. Today, I find myself facing two battles: the first is my dream of opening a small restaurant that carries my name after everything I owned in Gaza was destroyed. The second is saving my niece, a little girl suffering from a rare condition in her feet. There is no treatment for her here, and her only hope is to travel abroad for medical care.
After my past life was taken from me, I saw only one path forward: to start again. I search for a safe place where I can open my restaurant, where I can rebuild my life and regain my dignity. But it is not easy—travel costs are overwhelming, and starting over in a new country requires resources I do not have.
At the same time, there is this little girl who looks up at me with hope. She doesn’t understand why her feet fail her while other children run freely. She doesn’t know that the illness she suffers from has no cure here. How can I leave her to face this pain alone? How can I chase my future while she remains trapped in a present without hope?
I am here, searching for an opportunity—not just for myself, but for her as well. There are dreams that must be rebuilt and lives that must be saved. I may not have much, but I have hope. And I am looking for a helping hand to support me on this difficult journey—to help me start anew and to give this child the chance at life she truly deserves.
Organizer
Haytham Alhaj
Organizer
Nanaimo, BC