Restoring Hope and Rebuilding for Ghada's Family

Ghada Awad is a teacher from north Gaza in the Al Zeitoon neighbourhood. She and her husband Ahmed have four children and six grandchildren and they were displaced on October 27th, 2023 and moved to the south of Gaza, hoping for safety and security.

I have previously organized one GoFundMe for their son Majd and his wife Loujain and their children.

As the fundraiser for her son and daughter in-law is nearing its goal, donations have slowed and fundraisers in Gaza have turned from travel funds to survival funds and Ghada has asked me to begin a new fundraiser for her family. The hope is that her family will be able to travel to Egypt when the border is opened but much of the funds are spent simply surviving every day with no income.

The blockade has persisted for four months and the time this fundraiser is opened and their family is enduring starvation.

No words can express the suffering their family has faced. They have been homeless, have purchased and moved between tents and neighbourhoods, seeking safety, they have endured and continue to endure the heat of summer without air conditioning (days that are consistently 30 - 35 degrees and nights that are 26 - 28). Their family like all of Gaza lives without running water, without a functioning kitchen sink to do dishes or anywhere to discard water or refuse. They live daily under risk of dangerous diseases, insects and threat to their lives from the occupation from the land, sky and sea. They have endured rains that soak, flood and wash out their belongings from their tents. Ghada’s husband Ahmed has a spinal injury and was receiving physiotherapy prior to their displacement but afterward had to navigate sand and uneven ground with his walker.

Since January, Ghada and Ahmed have returned to their homes in the north with their children and grandchildren, all walking home together on their grandson’s birthday. Since then they have endured dark buildings, nowhere to discard refuse or water, a lack of electricity, water and food, relentless bombings and lack of work income.

Since their return to their homes, the blockade has persisted for many months. People are eating one meal a day and enduring starvation and bombing. Ghada’s son, in addition to rebuilding their homes, has secured income and many resources for their family.

Fundraisers have gone from evacuation funds to survival funds. The cost of living soars, GoFundMe goals are neared or reached but the money has been spent.

In April, Ghada’s son Majd and his wife Loujain bought a 200 amp 12 volt battery and an energy panel that converts the sun's rays into electricity that charges the battery. The panel converts the sunlight into electricity that charges the battery and the UPS device converts the battery electricity into normal electricity from AC to DC from the 12 volt to 240 volt. They were able to power lights in their home and store food in a fridge and buy a used washer. Their cooking needs to be done outside and their son has built an air pipe to fan the flames of the cooking fire because the smoke is so severe.

Last month and yesterday, evacuation leaflets were dropped and Ghada’s family received a notice they must 'evacuate'. They are extremely stressed and now considering again moving to the south in tents. I will update the campaign as news is received.

If it is possible for them to travel to Egypt, I will increase the goal but for now the goal is set at $50,000 for living expenses. If their family is able to leave Gaza, 13 family members will travel with the raised money from this fundraiser, seven adults and six children:

Majd (27 yo)

Loujain (21 yo)

Ahmed (3 yo)

Adam (9 mo)

Ahmed (father 54 yo)

Ghada (mother 51 yo)

Mohammed (brother 27 yo)

Dina (sister 29 yo)

Wasim (Dina’s son 5 yo)

Juri (Dina’s daughter 3 yo)

Dalia (sister 23 yo)

Batol (Dalia’s son 3 yo)

Habib (Dalia’s daughter 11 mo)

Travel cost for each family member (as $5000 for one person and $2500 for each child) to pay to the proper legal Egyptian authorities or to Hala Company.

All donations are transferred to the Awad family through myself by direct international bank transfer, Western Union or moneyGram.

A blockade prevents any of the following from entering Gaza but below is a further cost breakdown from the previous fundraiser to give an idea of costs incurred living in the South of Gaza last year. The following is a list of some of the average prices of food and necessities, some with their increases since 2023:

Flour has regularly risen to $400 - 700 US for a 25kg bag. Before Oct 2023, the price of a bag of flour at the store was 25 shekels or $8 US. It was very difficult to find flour in the South and its available size was 25kg.

A kilo of beef would cost $150 US.

A kilo of sugar would cost $50 US.

1 kilo of tomatoes would cost $50 US.

A kilo of potatoes would cost $100 US.

A litre of vegetable oil for frying was $40 US.

One diaper was $2 US.

One box of milk formula for babies was $100 US.

These were prices as of November 23rd, 2024.

May their family receive support to travel safely to begin a new life.

Thank you for donating to Ghada and Ahmed Awad and their family.