Gaza Artists: Evacuate to back to work
Donation protected
Conclusion:
We work in animation and artistic field, our office company was completely burned and we lost all the devices and equipment.
I live in the north of Gaza, where there is famine now. I am talking to you because I am responsible for supporting more than 15 people from my partners and their families and my family, and the matter has become more difficult. Now, in all of our homes have been destroyed, We launched a crowdfunding campaign to achieve three main goals.
* The first is that we can pay the cost of travel to Egypt.
*The second is we need to open an office for the company in a stable country, so that we can restore the contracts and projects that we were working on before the seventh of October.
*The third is that we can buy some of the devices instead of the ones that were destroyed.
It is time to support us. It is time to go out and back to work.
"Hi, my name is Hamza and I am the managing director of Cube Studio - an animation studio based in Gaza City. Together with my co-founders, we have put a lot of effort over the past ten years to build the business and develop a group of very gifted artists. My team, pictured above, is like an extended family to me; I have made a great effort to look out for their emotional and professional well-being and to foster an environment where they can flourish and generate work that is unmatched."
For us, Cube Studio is not simply our business, but also a life’s passion. The artwork we produced served as both a source of cash and an escape from the harsh reality of life we face in Gaza.
Cube Studio was founded in 2013 and has since produced cartoon and promotional videos for a range of Middle Eastern and global customers. We have provided our partners with high-quality material thanks to our distinctive business approach, which we have refined over the years. Among many other organizations for which we have created hundreds of animation videos are Oxfam UK, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and Al-Rajhi Bank in Saudi Arabia.
At Cube Studio, we work hard to make our creative expression and artwork available to everyone. We think that art has the ability to unite people, unleash potential, and improve the world. Our goal is to break down boundaries and create new business models through innovative and creative thinking. We are bold, inquisitive, and ambitious.
Some members of our team are celebrating the signing of a new contract with a new Saudi client.
For years, my team has put in more than ten hours a day of unceasing labour. Since we began in 2013, nobody has left us in spite of the difficulties. We've established a welcoming work atmosphere where we play video games together and celebrate birthdays. Many people wanted to work with us because we were the ideal workplace. The war in 2014 and several other conflicts in 2018, 2019 and 2021 put our unity to the test, costing us business contracts and customers. It is disheartening to find myself stuck in a cycle where I need to keep rebuilding my business.
I visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt in January 2023 in order to close new business and prolong ongoing initiatives. Despite being my first trip outside of the Gaza Strip, it was a unique and successful experience, and we were eager to begin a new chapter with promising opportunities.
Hamza with client & friends - Al Riyadh
Despite many obstacles, we were quite optimistic that we would be able to carry on and expand our business until the Gaza-Israel war broke out on 7 October 2023. What we had thought would be a brief confrontation grew into a protracted and disastrous struggle. We chose to work from home because we believed it would be safe in the face of impending danger. However, the truth was completely devastating. Any sense of security we had previously taken for granted was destroyed by the Israeli bombardment of Gazan homes, businesses and infrastructure, leaving us with scenes of apocalyptic death and destruction.
My home area - Hamza, north of Gaza City
We are experiencing hundreds of catastrophic strikes everyday. One of my team, Mosaab, has been missing for several days, and others have lost their houses and become homeless. Much of the company's equipment was lost, and our Gaza office was completely destroyed. Despite suffering tremendous personal and professional losses, we are steadfast in our resolve to move forward and fulfil our dream of creating a profitable creative enterprise.
As I write this appeal for support, a bomb went off less than a hundred metres from my house. Children from my extended family are screaming – they are already traumatised by the bombardment for the last 49 days. I'm praying for my team's safety and sending them a message of sincere gratitude in the midst of this dreadful chaos. "You all exemplify the perseverance and can-do attitude that has sustained our company. The late-night get-togethers on the beach, the team celebrations, and the giggles are special moments that tell our story."
Cube Studio created an awareness series for children and adults with Funded by UNMAS to raise awareness about the risks of approaching remnants of war, protection methods during wars, and evacuation methods in the presence of children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
We completed a large portion of the series in 2022 and 2023, but the war in Gaza occurred and we did not complete the rest of the series.
Here are some of the models we produced on our part.
Static Social Media Posts
Video 01
Video 02
Video 03 (Song)
I'm not going to give up on the dream we've created together, even in light of the current situation. I'm contacting all of the world's heroes and requesting their assistance so that we can rebuild and carry on with our journey. Your contributions will help our creative studio and support my team members overcome the devastating consequences of this war.
We believe that art can help children heal from the trauma of war and is a miraculous remedy for peace. Our creative business will play a significant role in this field with your help.
We are asking for donations to evacuate from Gaza and replace the lost or destroyed equipment, such as craft supplies, drawing pads, laptops, software. Donations will also be used to help support our company to register in stable country to make our business continue.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Your kindness and support are greatly appreciated.
Read more about us:
Our Company Profile: https://tinyurl.com/33fhvvfd
Examples of our motion videos: https://tinyurl.com/yyndc2ah
Examples of our illustrations: https://tinyurl.com/4str9pa8
Cube Studio on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cubioneers/
Cube Studio on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubioneers/
Fundraising team (2)
Imad Ahmed
Organizer
Hamza Ahmed
Team member