Help Ala Flee Gaza and Rebuild her Career

Hi, my name is Audrey, and I'm from Boise, Idaho. I'm fundraising for my friend, Ala Alwadiya.

I connected with Ala through her artwork as a Palestinian artist. Her social media page was filled with beautiful animations and illustrations. We began chatting and bonded over our shared love of illustration and ventures in fashion design school. We have shared artwork and talked about our careers extensively, but I recently learned that she was among the Gazans displaced from home after October 2023's escalation of violence.

She is currently sheltering with family in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. She has been uprooted from her normal life, and is now left without a home or source of income. I’m organizing this fundraiser to support her, since she is unable to have a GoFundMe account as a Palestinian citizen.

Ala is a talented illustrator and motion graphics designer. She is passionate about art, using her creativity as a driving force in her life. Prior to October 2023, she was full of ambition and had a blossoming career as an artist. However the eruption of violence in Gaza has shattered her dreams, leaving her with immense loss and uncertainty. The loss of her job, which served as both a source of income and a means to support her loved ones, dealt a devastating blow to her aspirations.

Ala's beloved work space that was destroyed.

Ala was reluctant to ask for help. However after speaking with her more, I learned the reality is she has lost her home, her work and is currently enduring the challenges of displacement; lacking basic necessities amidst daily bombings nearby. Despite attempts to seek refuge, the violence persists in Rafah, leaving Ala and family feeling helpless and vulnerable. She describes living in a war zone akin to a nightmare, filled with fear and daily struggles to find food and water. She has few lifelines outside of Gaza and evacuation is costly.

Current conditions in Rafah.

In the midst of the destruction, Ala still dreams of continuing her career as an artist. This is something she has vehemently held onto during the violence in Gaza. Her future is a source of hope within chaos. Rebuilding her life on the other side of war, proves to be a monumental task, but she remains focused on a path to a better future.

I’m asking you to share her story, and support if you can. Every contribution helps, no matter the size. Ala and her family need to flee Gaza, if given the chance. Anything we can do to help them rebuild their businesses, their dreams and have some semblance of normalcy after the destruction of their home is deeply appreciated.

One of Ala's many sketches.

Details:

There is only one way out of the Southern Gaza Strip. It's done by purchasing permits from a travel agency to leave the Rafah crossing into Egypt. Due to the ongoing conflict, prices for these permits have skyrocketed, sometimes being as high as $13,000 per person. Once in Egypt, Ala will need to obtain accommodations and a work visa. The funds raised will help cover all of these costs, along with any immediate survival needs, and regaining her work tools once she's made it to safety.

Some words from Ala:

"Every donation, regardless of its size, represents a ray of hope in the midst of despair. It symbolizes the opportunity to rebuild what was lost and to create a future filled with promise and opportunity. Your generosity is not merely a financial contribution; it is a lifeline that sustains us during our darkest hours and serves as a testament to the power of humanity to overcome adversity.

Your generous donations hold the power to reignite our shattered hopes and dreams. In the aftermath of war, when everything we once cherished has been torn apart, your support becomes our guiding light, illuminating the path toward a brighter tomorrow.

With each contribution, you offer us more than just financial assistance; you provide us with the chance to rebuild our lives from the ground up. Your kindness restores our faith in humanity and serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there are those who are willing to extend a helping hand.

Words cannot adequately express the depth of gratitude I feel for the impact your donations will have on me and my family. Your generosity fills us with hope and gratitude, propelling us forward with renewed determination to overcome the challenges we face.

From the bottom of my heart, I extend my sincerest thanks for your kindness and compassion. Your support means more to us than words can convey to pursue our dreams once again."

*Note: GoFundMe is not directly supported in combination with banks located in the Palestinian Territories. Therefore 100% of donations from this fundraiser will be transferred through a US account, then to Ala’s account. We are noting this for full transparency, as per GoFundMe's terms of use. Funds received will be used solely for her family’s survival, evacuation and resettlement.