Support Nada’s Evacuation & Studies Abroad

Hi, my name is Faith Ryan, and I am a community organizer and activist in Urbana, Illinois, USA.

I am sponsoring a young Palestinian teacher and community organizer in Gaza, Nada Jamil Rayyan. Nada is from Deir al-Balah and began studying graphic design at Israa University in 2023. She had only been a month into her studies when Israel began its most violent genocidal campaign in Gaza.

Nada's first year at university was very important to her. She had plans, dreams, and ambitions that the occupation stole from her in the blink of an eye. She remembers the stressful days full of academic pressure - managing events and business inquiries - but her dedication and resilience drove her success and made her forget what she sacrificed.

She asks why she cannot continue her education like the rest of the world?

"Why are they better than us? What is missing from us?"

"How many years will I waste? How many years will we be disappointed? How many years will our dreams remain destroyed?"

Since October, Nada has worked in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, teaching children and helping maintain and build their fundamental skills. She primarily volunteers with the Sharek Youth Forum, a nonprofit, non-partisan NGO initially launched as an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme/Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP) in 1996. She has worked with countless nonprofits on the ground and gives her whole self to education and community care.

Her infectious kindness and gratitude galvanize her passion for teaching children and mobilizing resources to meet their basic needs - she is incredible. Despite being under the constant threat of genocidal violence, Nada finds resilience in maintaining children's education when hers was stolen from her. She affirms that "we will not allow the occupier to spread illiteracy in our beloved sector. It will produce a stronger generation. We will fight with all our weapons against the occupier."

While Nada wants to evacuate to continue her studies, she needs financial support to survive every day in Gaza. After over 400 days of annihilation, Gazans are forced to withdraw money from their evacuation funds to survive starvation and support humanitarian initiatives for their community.

Winter soaks Gaza to the bone in freezing rain as starvation is wrapping its tendrils around central Gaza. Flour costs nearly $350 per bag; tents are being swallowed by the sea and destroyed by rain. In addition to supporting her family, Nada wants to raise money for blankets, dry clothing, and tarps to reinforce tents for those displaced from their homes.

This campaign’s goal will continue to be $10,000 - regardless of how Nada chooses to use the donations, I will never cease to support her. I consider Nada and her family my kin, so please continue to show them love.

Please share this fundraiser with your friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors - whatever you are willing to donate is much appreciated. If it's $5 or $50, every dollar counts. If you aren't able to donate, please engage with Nada’s content and mine to boost her visibility.

مع خالص التقدير و الاحترام,

Nada and Faith