Help my family survive famine and have secure life

Hello, my name is Nazin Fakak, and I live in Canada. Today, I am reaching out to the world with a heartfelt plea for compassion and support. I am spearheading a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of my childhood friend Eman Zaqout, who is currently enduring an unimaginable crisis in Gaza.

Eman and I have known each other since childhood, as our families were neighbors in Saudi Arabia. We grew up together and have remained in touch ever since. Just a few months ago before the war in Gaza, she was in Montreal for a scholarship program at McGill University. During her stay, I helped with her settlement, provided for her needs, and showed her around the city until she returned home. Now, in these moments of urgent need and despair, I am appealing to your humanity to help Eman and her family survive famine and secure a safer future. Your support can make a profound difference in their lives. Here is her story

Dear friends, family, and compassionate supporters,

My name is Eman Zaqout, from Occupied Gaza, Palestine. I am contacting you at a really desperate and urgent moment.

I am seeking your assistance to raise funds for saving our lives, facing the starvation in Gaza and help me achieve my doctoral degree dream after awarding prestigious PhD Fellowship.

I'm a wife and mother of two little kids. My husband Mahmoud Zaqout 39 years old, my son Rakan 12 years old and my doughter Seba 10 years old. I am also an employee working in a medical field and at the same time a scientific researcher conducting different research inside and outside Gaza as well.

For years, I poured my heart and soul into my work at Al-Shifa Hospital and Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital, as Biotechnology Specialist serving basically cancer patients with compassion and skill.

[ photos of Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital before and after the IDF destruction]

[ photos of Al-Shifa Hospital before and after the IDF destruction]

As a result of my outstanding grades in my study and the excellent performance in my job, I have been a holder of different scholarship and I am active participant in many research visits and scientific missions. The last scholarship I have awarded was to attend a research project at McGill University in Canada to implement new analysis techniques in Gaza Strip. I returned back to Gaza a month ago before the beginning of the genocide in Gaza.

I am just like any motivated and loving life woman, who loves her family, job and warm house. Since October 7th, my life changed dramatically when Israeli military launched a sweeping war against Gaza. My home and our neighborhood in the North have been destroyed early in this crisis. I and my family have experienced disastrous and unforgettable moments in that day when Israeli warplanes started a violent attack with heavy missiles and white phosphorus in our region. Ambulances and the Palestinian Red Cross evacuated us from the targeted place, so we went to my father’s home. My job and my husband's job are gone. Israel forced us later to evacuate again from the north Gaza to the south where they claimed it would be the safe zone but it is not at all. Our sweet home and neighborhood have been destroyed along with our belongings and precious memories. Even if the war ends, it's literally unlivable.

(Our sweet house and neighborhood before and after the war and devastation)

Forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on our backs, today, we find ourselves sheltering in a displacement camp lacking access to sanitation, medical supplies, food and drinkable water. Over time, the situation here has become more dire and unbearable, just destruction, bombing, starvation, and extermination that does not stop day and night. The loss of my job, my home, and the comforting presence of my loved ones weighs heavily on my heart. Nevertheless, I refuse to surrender to despair, clinging to the belief that brighter days lie ahead.

The good news in the midst of this tragedy, that I am one of the 22 women from the developing world who have been awarded OWSD- PhD fellowship to pursue my PhD study in Malaysia. But now I am stuck in Gaza unable to achieve my dream because Israeli army has occupied and closed all the border crossings.

Meet 22 Fellows awarded OWSD PhD Fellowships

It doesn’t stop here, Israel limits the humanitarian aids for Gazans including foods, drinks and medicine, which leads to real and painful famine. basic goods become unaffordable so, we spent most of the money we have been saving before, and now filled with terror, with uncertainty about our ability to survive.

It has been 10 months of hell and horror. This genocide has been too long to bear, and our mental health and lives are in constant danger. We have reached a point where there is no hope left for us here in Gaza, where we are unfortunately just waiting for our turn to die.

Your generosity is not just a donation; it is a beacon of hope in the face of adversity, a lifeline for not only my family but also other displaced families at our camp torn apart by conflict. Your support, whether big or small, will make a significant difference during this challenging time as we lost everything we have, and not just observe from the outside.

Please donate and share this with friends and colleagues and thank you for standing with us.

Eman Zaqout