Supporting Gaza's Children & Families: Help to Rebuild Lives

My name is Patrick (from England), and I am helping Farida Alghoul (in photo above with her nieces and nephews), from Gaza City displaced to Deir Al Balhah in southern Gaza, to fundraise for this appeal...

Above: Farida with her uncle's children in Nov 2024, whose father was martyred. She needs to take care of them now, as one of her many duties.

"Life in Gaza has always been fraught with challenges, but the past year has brought unimaginable hardships of war, displacement, and separation."

"My name is Farida, and I now carry the immense responsibility of caring for seven children: my injured brother’s children and my younger siblings, while supporting my community in Deir al-Balah, where we've been displaced to from the our home in Gaza City.

Amid this chaos, I work tirelessly to set up educational tents, provide food, medication, and essential supplies to displaced families, helping them survive with dignity. Balancing these roles is overwhelming, although I refuse to give up. Your support can bring hope, food, and education to those who need it most. This, in turn, lightens the burden both on my family, and on the many, many others in our community who are enduring these hardships and who benefit from our help.

It has been nearly a year since I last saw the half of my family who are under even worse conditions than us, in the north of Gaza. With limited communication, I can only pray that they are safe. The pain of separation is indescribable, but what weighs on me even more is the immense responsibility I now carry: I am the sole caregiver for seven children—my injured brother’s children, and my younger siblings. In their eyes, I am both a mother and a sister; a role I was thrust into without preparation or guidance.

This responsibility is overwhelming. From providing emotional support, to meeting their daily needs, every day presents a new challenge. The destruction of our home, the loss of stability, and the constant threat of violence have made even the simplest tasks monumental. Yet, despite the weight of this burden, I refuse to give up.

From the heart of Deir al-Balah, I have channelled every ounce of strength into not only caring for these children but also supporting my community. Amid the chaos, I have worked tirelessly to:

Balancing these responsibilities has not been easy, but the determination to see these children safe and hopeful for their future keeps me going... The burden is immense, but together we can lighten it.

Your support can make an incredible difference—not just for me, but for the children and the countless families who are enduring unimaginable hardships. Every donation goes directly towards providing food, education, medicine, and hope to those who need it most."

Thank you for taking an interest in this important appeal, and for considering making a donation. Everything helps, whether large or small.

Below: Farida at one of the displacement camps on the beach in early December '24, helping to distribute blankets and tarpaulins, and conducting interviews after the tents of the displaced residents were flooded.

Processing of Donations:

Donations will be held securely in an account by me temporarily while they build up to reasonable amounts in order to make transfers cost effective. They will then periodically be transferred by secure international bank transfer to a trusted friend of Farida's nearby, who will then ensure that the funds get across to her by local transfer.