My name is Diaa, I am 23 years old, and I am a Computer Science graduate from Gaza. Since my childhood, I have dreamed of becoming a successful young man who contributes to building my community and achieving a dignified life for myself.

Before the war, my family owned a small store selling household and electrical items, which we lived from with dignity. However, it was completely destroyed during the war, leaving us with nothing. Since then, we have lost our only source of income and have faced a harsh reality with no job opportunities or stable income.

Despite continuing my studies and graduating with a high GPA despite the destruction and hardship, today I live in an environment that lacks even the most basic necessities — electricity is nearly absent, and the internet is extremely weak — making it impossible to develop my skills or take courses that could help me find work.

Although I hold a university degree with high marks, even if jobs were available, my degree is withheld by the university due to fees of 200 Jordanian Dinars, an amount far beyond my ability to pay given the war and the high cost of living. All my efforts during university were to secure a decent future and employment, yet reality has prevented this, leaving me unemployed with no chance to utilize my education.

All I want is to live with dignity and be given a chance to start over, to recover what we have lost and build a future worthy of my dreams and the hard work I have done.

We are a family of eight, and we used to live together in a two-story house, which was our only shelter. Today, it has been flattened to the ground, and since then, we have been living in one deteriorated tent, which offers no protection from the summer heat or winter cold.

Our daily struggles are indescribable — food shortages, limited access to clean drinking water, and the presence of insects in the tent. During the winter, rain leaks over our heads, and we spend nights trying to protect the little we have of blankets and personal belongings. Cooking has also become a hardship, as we prepare food over open fire amidst the high cost of firewood and scarce fuel.

The most painful part is seeing my younger siblings, especially the children, who have suffered greatly during the war from fear, hunger, iron and vitamin deficiencies, and the difficulty of carrying water or going to aid centers for food. Sometimes they return empty-handed because there is not enough food for everyone.

Despite all of this, we try to maintain hope, staying united as a family, dreaming of just one thing: to live with dignity, in a safe home, and with a life befitting any human being who deserves a fresh start.

One day, I went to check on our home and collect some belongings and clothes because we did not have enough clothes after our last displacement. We have been displaced seven times during the war, each move extremely costly, spending huge amounts of our previous savings until we reached a point where we no longer had enough money to cover even our daily needs. On that day, I suffered a serious injury while trying to reach the house, resulting in broken arms and legs, multiple stitches, burns, and shrapnel wounds in my stomach, which I still suffer from today. Unfortunately, there are no medical resources or funds to cover the necessary treatment, making pain and suffering a constant part of my life.

Despite everything we have endured, we still dream of a new beginning, a safe home, and a dignified life. Our dreams are simple, yet circumstances make them seem out of reach: our children are hungry, we have lost our home, and our daily injuries go untreated.

Today, we appeal to everyone reading these words to be a ray of hope in our dark lives. Your donation will not only change our lives, but it will also give us a chance to live with dignity, protect our children from hunger and cold, and restore our sense of humanity after all this suffering.

Any contribution, no matter how small, makes a huge difference for us and will remain a lasting reminder that humanity still exists and that we are not alone in this harsh world.