SAVE THIRSTY GAZA DISPLACED WITH WATER RELIEF

My name is Nina Christine Gorman (D.O.B. 11-18-57) from Philadelphia, PA, USA. I am a psychotherapist and adjunct social science teacher and long-time supporter of Palestinian rights. I am doing this campaign to help the new volunteer team in Khan Yunis, called Hayat Karima, who recently began distributing much-needed drinking water in their displaced persons camp in Abasan, Khan Yunis, Gaza. I came to know team members Tamer Salman Al Najjar (D.O.B. 2-8-88), Mahdouh Salman Al Najjar (12-9-84), and Jahan Madhat Abu Jamous (7-25-06) through many conversations on social media Meta for the past five months during the brutal war on Gaza, during which they shared with me the plight of Gaza.

68% of the entire water and sewage infrastructure of Gaza has been destroyed, including 200 of 283 wells, primarily by bombing, causing water supply and production to plummet to 20% of prewar rates. This leaves only 2 to 9 liters per person per day (CSIS, Center for Strategic & International Studies: 7/26/24). However, in parts of the Gaza Strip, including in Abasan Khan Yunis, due to the deliberate destruction of water infrastructure, there is no water available, especially since the closing of crossings by the occupation, which has also blocked electricity, food, and fuel as a war strategy. Electricity and fuel are needed to work the desalination plants, which were needed since before the war due to the water contamination.

The lack of drinking water is even more dire due to the bombing of the sewage infrastructure as a war strategy, with most of the sewage pumping stations and wastewater treatment now out of service, resulting in daily sewage flooding of shelters and streets and pollution of the sea. The lack of water and poor sewage has led to massive illness and disease, especially for children.

Over half of children under 5 in Gaza now have serious infections and illnesses, including as of July. 80,000 cases of Hepatitis A, other waterborne diseases, and parasitical infections aggravated by malnutrition from the food blockade.

For this campaign, the aim is to provide the 250 families in one displaced persons camp in Abasan Khan Yunis with a minimum basic need of clean drinking water of 12 liters per day per family for at least two months until hopefully the water infrastructure can be repaired and electricity and fuel flow again for the water and sewage plants post a ceasefire.

All donations will be transferred to my secure USA bank account and then to secure Paypal of Tamer Salman Al Najjar

Water is the most important source of life and a basic human right. Donate what you can today to give hope, alleviate the suffering, thirst, and sickness of this camp, and save their lives.

Here is the team in their own words:

We need clean water for our displaced persons camp in Abasan, Khan Yunis in Gaza because there is great suffering from having no clean drinking water here. The camp we live in of 250 families rarely gets any at all. If someone donates, for example, 1,000 liters at the price of 85 dollars, which is very rare, that is not enough because the camp needs really about 5,000 liters at least every four days. We can buy it from the Ma'an Desalination plant in Khan Yunis. We have done so once with the help of one donor for 85 dollars and scraping together our own family funds to get 3,000 liters, but it is now gone, and we are all waiting and hoping to get more. 85 dollars for 1,000 liters is the cheapest available, and we really need at least 3,000 liters per day to supply needs adequately. We have so little to eat and have a lot of sicknesses here from bad water. So we cannot afford water, and we go without it for many days, any many of us, including children, have to travel long distances on foot and at high prices to get a little.

Our team of myself (Tamer), Mamdouh, and Jahan hopes to expand to others, and we will film this great initiative to keep all updated on our progress. We really hope to just have our basic needs for clean drinking water met for at a few thousand liters twice a week to start but even once a week is a great help. We just want to not be thirsty, hungry, or exhausted carrying heavy jugs long distances and not be sick from drinking contaminated water or having no water at all, especially our children, many of whom are sick already. We do not mind doing the work for the campaign to help our camp as we all love and support each other we just want peace and to survive and have decent lives. We urge you to do what you can in your heart to donate even if just a little. Every dollar counts in decreasing our suffering and saving our lives in this brutal war.

Here is the Budget for the Campaign

For 250 families for 12 liters per day per family

at the price of 255 USD for 3,000 liters per day

provided by the Ma'an Khan Yunis Desalination Plant

$1785 per week for two months

which is 7,140 per month

Total 14,280