Hi, I'm Leah and I've set up this fundraiser to help my friend Mariam gather some financial support for her family in Gaza.

I met Mariam through an organisation called Match Mums , which connects mothers and carers in Ireland with asylum seekers, helping to pass on clothes, toys, and equipment to children in need. Through this connection, I have come to know Mariam’s story and the huge challenges her family is facing.

Mariam left Gaza just before the war began and travelled to Jordan. Her daughter, who had already reached Ireland with her two young sons (now 6 months and 4 years old), applied for Mariam to join her here. They were then placed in an asylum centre in Limerick, where Mariam is currently waiting for her asylum application to be processed.

Back in Gaza, Mariam’s husband Eayad and six of her children remain:

Nada, married, with two children who are suffering psychological trauma and involuntary urination from the constant bombing and fear. Her husband is currently missing, with no news of his whereabouts.

Yara (18) and Remas (16), who should be in school, but their schools have been destroyed. Both are malnourished and very weak.

Reham (24), Randa (25), and Tala (23), all unmarried, living in dangerous and unstable conditions.

Ramy (32), who suffers severe back injuries after rubble fell on him during bombing.

Mariam’s husband Eayad, once the family’s breadwinner, suffers from chronic illness, high blood pressure, and severe pain in his neck, back, and joints, worsened by malnutrition. With no work, no clean water, no proper food, and no safety, the family is struggling to survive in displacement camps that lack even the basics of life.

Here in Ireland, Mariam receives just €38 a week as her asylum allowance, and she cannot work while her application is being processed . Despite this, she saves every possible euro to send back to her family in Gaza. She even walks into the city to avoid bus fares, just so her children can receive a little more help. She sends money through a trusted friend to make sure it reaches them.

Despite all that Mariam does, her family’s needs in Gaza are far more than she can cover by herself.

How You Can Help

This fundraiser is to support Mariam’s family with the essentials they desperately need: food, water, shelter, medicine, and basic supplies for survival. Every contribution, no matter the size, will go directly towards helping them live through this unimaginable crisis.

Mariam does not wish to share photos, as her asylum application is still in process and she wants to protect her safety. But her words and her story speak for themselves.

Please consider donating to help Mariam support her loved ones in Gaza. Your kindness will make a real difference.

Thank you so much,

Leah