My name is Melissa Le-Lewis, an American educator from California, and I am starting this fundraiser on the behalf of Rima Saeed Abu Raida from the Gaza Strip. I will send her any funds as soon as they are available in my account.

HERE IS RIMA’S STORY: From the heart of hunger and destruction... I appeal to your compassionate hearts.

I am a mother from Gaza. All I want is to keep my little boy, Aseel, alive. We have experienced so much loss and grief in the past two years. Our home was destroyed, we’ve experienced extreme starvation, we have been displaced countless times, we have lost relatives, and we have been near bombing and seen tragic scenes.

We need money to buy food and medicine. We are currently living in tents near the ocean. Because of our lack of sufficient shelter, we're constantly getting sick. For example, today my husband's eye suddenly swelled up, and two days ago my child, Aseel, developed a high fever and scars on his face. Now my back aches because I'm uncomfortable all day. I sit on the ground on a stone and wash dishes with a bucket because we don't have a barrel. We lack everything, and we truly deserve help.

I write to you with tears welling up in my eyes. I have no choice but to appeal to your humanity.

Help me feed my child... clothe him... keep him warm in this cold world.

Every donation from you is a ray of life for us, a mercy that touches Aseel's little heart.

Don't leave us alone in this darkness... you are our only hope.