Hope for Gaza Twins: Fund Their US Education

Education is a fundamental human right that should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their geographic location. Unfortunately, twin sisters Asma and Hiba from Gaza face significant challenges in pursuing their dreams of obtaining graduate degrees due to the ongoing situation in their home country.

To that end, we are taking action to help them achieve their goals by donating 100% of net proceeds from our three-pronged effort to support their education in the United States. You can help us make a difference in their lives by supporting one of three avenues: 1) purchasing paintings from our "Art for Palestine" collection, 2) buying merchandise from our Art for Palestine site, or 3) making a direct donation through this GoFundMe account. Your support will not only transform the lives of Asma and Hiba but also send a message of hope and unity.

Together, we can work towards creating a brighter future for everyone, regardless of where they come from. Will you join us on this journey of hope and possibility?

GOAL AMOUNT

Our goal is to raise $100,00.00 (one hundred thousand dollars) to cover Asma and Hiba’s first two years of study and living in the USA as they develop their English language skills and enroll in foundation courses, and before they enroll in scholarship-supported graduate programs.

During the first two years, they will attend Lone Star Community College – a community college near our home and one that will provide them with the perfect introduction to life in the USA and a basic sense of what college life is here. During these first two years, the girls will focus primarily on the College’s English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum to get their language skills to the level that they will need to pursue their graduate studies in the USA.

Below, we have listed an estimated break-down of cost for their first two years as follows:

Airline tickets to Houston:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $1,200

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $0

Transportation from Gaza to Ben Gurion or Queen Alia Intl. in Jordan:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $150

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $0

F-1 Student Visa Fee:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $160

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $0

Basic cost for clothing:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $1,000

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $515

Budget for meals (not consumed at home):

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $2,500

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $2,575

Purchase/Use of phone:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $400

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $400

Toiletries and personal items:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $300

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $308

Gas money (access to our car initially):

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $1,500

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $1,545

One-bedroom apartment rental in Houston:

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $10,620

Tuition and fees for Lone Star Community College:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $16,050

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $16,354

Miscellaneous expenses:

• Year 1 Cost (per student): $1,000

• Year 2 Cost (per student): $1,000

Year-End Cost (per student):

• Year 1 Cost: $24,360

• Year 2 Cost: $33,317

Year-End Cost (per student):

• Year 1 Cost: $48,720

• Year 2 Cost: $66,634

Overall Estimated Cost (for two students): $115,354

Note: All costs are in USD and factor in an estimated inflation rate of 3% per year per international student.

OUR HISTORY WITH ASMA AND HIBA

Twin sisters, Asma and Hiba, from Gaza initially came to the US (Phoenix, AZ) to live with us when they were 6-year-olds back in 2003. At the time, I was feeling like I needed to do more to help the people of Palestine more directly. I reached out to the US-based non-profit organization, Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) whose incredible work has changed the lives of countless children, often in need of life-saving procedures. PCRF willingly arranged all the details around the girls` hospitalization with Phoenix Children's Hospital, who graciously opened their doors to the girls’ treatment at no cost to us.

Once those arrangements were finalized, I opted to fly to Gaza and stay there for several days to get to know the girls and their family, and vice versa, in the Rafah Refugee Camp where they lived. With a promise to do all we could to help the girls, their parents entrusted their two precious children to me, and we started our trek out of Gaza and into a world they could not have even imagined existed.

ASMA AND HIBA IN THE USA FOR TREATMENT AS CHILDREN

Asma and Hiba lived with me and my then-husband, John L. Habib for 6-months in Phoenix, Arizona where they underwent corrective surgeries for clubbed feet. When we met Asma at the age of 6, she had never been able to wear a shoe on her left foot and, as she grew, it was affecting her gait and spine. Her little foot was so contorted, the sole had never touched the ground. Instead, she walked on the side of her foot, with only a sock and an old shoulder pad to protect it from the elements. Hiba also needed corrective surgery (on her right leg), although her surgery was not as complicated and her leg was not as bad.

Both girls were under the excellent care of Dr. Gregory White and his colleague, Dr. Stephen Milliner, who offered their services and care for free. Asma's surgery took some 5 hours and Hiba's surgery took a little less. Hiba would later also undergo surgery to fix muscles in both her eyes. This time, Dr. Karen Robertson, a pediatric ophthalmologist, kindly offered her services also for free. And again, Phoenix Children's Hospital opened its doors to Hiba for her to undergo this second procedure. And lastly, they were both seen and treated for teeth in need of work by Dr. Thomas Sims. The girls enjoyed their time there. Everyone made them feel loved and cared for.

We deeply appreciated the kindness and generosity of the doctors, their staff, the management at Phoenix Children's Hosptial and our friends at the time. Everyone around us stepped up and offered their help and assistance in any way that they could.

Asma and Hiba thrived in the 6-months they were with us in the USA.

They got to experience a sense of security that they didn’t have in Gaza. They had running water all the time (something not accessible to them at home). They played with abandonment. They felt grass under their feet for the first time. They slept unafraid. They danced. They learned not to fear helicopters. They even discovered Halloween. We took them to Disney and Universal Studios where they got to be children. Then the day came, a little over 6 months later, when we had to return them. Their feet were fixed, their eyes strengthened, and their spirits lifted.

ASMA AND HIBA'S LIVES BACK IN GAZA

We returned Asma and Hiba to their perilous home, where they channeled all their efforts into their schooling, despite facing seemingly insurmountable challenges under occupation. Against all odds, Asma earned her MBA, and Hiba graduated with a degree in Accounting; both with the highest honors. However, their ambitions do not end there. They now aim to return to the US to earn accredited, graduate degrees, knowing that this would position them to excel and make an even greater impact in their beloved homeland than their achievements in Gaza could allow.

EFFORTS TO HELP ASMA AND HIBA TODAY

In summary: Our goal is to raise $100,00.00 (one hundred thousand dollars) to cover Asma and Hiba’s first two years of study and living in the USA as they develop their English language skills and enroll in foundation courses, and before they enroll in scholarship-supported graduate programs.

They will be staying with us (rent-free) to assist them as they settle into life in the US and where they will learn how to essentially live in a way they have never known. During their first year, as they improve their English, we will be looking for university graduate programs that offer full scholarships.

SUPPORT OPTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE

With your kind generosity and support, we will be able to bring Asma and Hiba back so that they can continue on their journey. We have set up a website that we hope will go live by July 2023, which we have titled "Art for Palestine". That site will house over 160 of my paintings and art for sale with all profits (excluding the cost of shipping) we make to be earmarked toward bringing Asma and Hiba here. For those of you who do not want a painting or piece of art, you have the choice to either go to our "GoFundMe" link and support our effort there or we have designed a simple, "Peace Power Palestine" shirt where, again, all profits will also go toward this fund for Asma and Hiba.

IN CLOSING

We believe that together we can make a difference in the lives of Asma and Hiba by helping them achieve their dreams of obtaining US-based graduate degrees. Every little bit you give will help bring us closer to our goal of bringing Asma and Hiba to the US.

Let us work together to create a brighter future for everyone, regardless of where they come from.