URGENT: Help Gazan Family Relocate to Safety
Donation protected
***UPDATE 8/6/2024: The campaign has reopened for donations! Mariam (Jennifer) Gallardo, a close friend of the Abu Karsh family, is now the designated "beneficiary" and will send all donations to them. I (Ruth) will continue on as the manager of the fundraiser. Thank you for your patience!***
Hi, my name is Ruth and I am organizing this fundraiser for my friends who are struggling to stay alive in Gaza.
Here is their message to you:
We are two brothers, Mohammed and Waseem, ambitious English teachers who worked for USAID education institutes for underprivileged people in the Gaza Strip. We loved teaching, inspiring, nurturing and spreading the word of peace we cultivated in our students' minds.
On the 7th of October, we sprang out of our warm beds to shower and dress in the clothes our mom ironed for us. We grabbed our hot coffee and headed off to work. But since that day, we have been caught in extraordinary pain that we cannot free ourselves from.
Now our jobs are gone and we are separated from our dear students. Now we are desperately trying to escape to safety along with our large family. We have only ever wanted to live in a world filled with peace, but our current situation is completely unsafe for us and our loved ones, both because of the continuing war and the diseases that are rapidly spreading.
Losing your home is a harsh reality we hope you will never experience. A few months ago, we lived in the warmth of our homes, but now those homes are rubble. Today we live in tents made of nylon that don't protect us from the cold weather and strong winds. And we have lost not only our homes, but also our jobs, our safety, many of our loved ones, and also our dreams.
We are seeking safety, which is only possible for us and our family (consisting of 13 people) if we leave Gaza and travel to Egypt. The cost of relocating, however, is impossible for us without your help. We cordially ask you to donate what you can and also to share this fundraiser to increase its reach. Anything you can offer would mean so much to us.
In addition to our shared hardships, our eldest sister Fatima, who is disabled, has endured extra difficulties. We miraculously secured her a second-hand wheelchair to make it easier for her to get around, but she is unable to receive the medical treatments she needs because of the ongoing war. However, she could get the help she needs if we leave the Gaza Strip.
Our father taught us to bend backwards every time life hits us unfairly. Although we are now a homeless family, we are still a loving one, and together we can rebuild our lives, with your support.
Expenses breakdown:
- Border permit fees: $5000 per person x 13 family members = $65,000
- GoFundMe fees: 2.9% of donations (plus an additional $0.30 per donation) = approximately $2000 (depending on the total number of donations)
- Bank transfer fee: 5-6% = $3250-$3900
- Any additional funds will be used for renewing travel documents and for living expenses in Egypt
We will keep you updated on our situation!
With desperate steps into the unknown, exhausted heartbeats, unending anxiety, and illusion after illusion, we have been battling the fear of loss, the horrifying destruction, the sound of bombardment and the smell of death. None of us have thought we would end up being homeless and almost hopeless.
With thanks, hope, and prayers for peace,
Mohammed and Waseem
Fundraising team (3)
Ruth Salter
Organizer
Boise, ID
Jennifer Gallardo
Beneficiary
Aisha Alahmad
Team member