Help me get my loved ones safely out of Gaza

My name is Mariah, many on social media know me as MonroeMenagerie.

I’m raising money to help my beloved friend Ahmed and his precious family, evacuate Gaza.

Malak, age 8

Abdullah, age 10

Zain, age 7

Inside their tent, they have no possessions left.

The ruins of their destroyed home

A family of 5 with 3 small children, ages 7, 8 and 10. Their home was destroyed by bombs. Over the last few months, they have been displaced multiple times as they traveled a treacherous road to the south of the Gaza Strip. They are currently trapped in Rafah, the southern most city on the Egyptian boarder. Throughout these displacements, they have lost nearly everything, they have two small sleeping mats and 2 blankets. Heavy rains in Rafah have left their tent continuously soaked and muddy. They are freezing and starving. There is no food, no water, no medical help and endless bombardments. Attacks have come to Rafah where most of the population is now displaced. There is nowhere left to go. Nowhere in Gaza is safe.

The bombardments have not stopped, and the fee’s for crossing the boarder into Egypt through the crossing company are exorbitant, upwards of $5,000-$10,000 per person to cross, not including fees and other payments to get the process expedited.

As the bombardments creep closer into Rafah, families are being forced to choose to leave their beloved land to survive. I have been in communication with my precious loved ones through so many horrors these past months and with no end in site to the catastrophe, I need to get them safely out of Gaza. Please help me get them out.

Ahmed, Nagham, Abdullah, Malak, and Zain are so grateful for your donations!!

please follow my Tiktok for video updates @ Monroemenagerie

Fun fact about how Ahmed and I met:

He worked for years as a clown in the Gaza Circus, entertaining children who have suffered so many traumatic aggressions over the years. We met a decade ago in a Circus performer group (I used to perform as a clown at birthday parties and have always enjoyed clowning) and became the dearest of friends. His smile could light up the whole circus and it has been heartbreaking to watch it fade away in messages and photos the last 5 months. I want more than anything to get them out so they may all find their smiles again.

Update: Last night (Sunday the 11th of February) Rafah was carpet bombed without warning. In all these months, I don’t think I have ever been so frightened. Hearing from Ahmed this morning was such a relief that I just sat and sobbed. Their children are terrified, they are all exhausted, freezing, starving and completely traumatized. For myself and all the families I have grown to know and love, our desperation to get our loved ones out has reached a fever pitch. Even if you are not able to donate, simply sharing helps. Each moment in Gaza is a moment of survival and we don’t know if our beloved friends and family will be here in the next breath. So many are not. I am so desperate to get them out.

Update 2. I feel like I am finally able to see a glimmer of light because so many have stepped up to most importantly share but also donate. THANK YOU from the deepest depth of my soul for helping them, I am praying that soon I will be able to tell them we’ve made it!!. At this point every time my phone buzzes, I will knock over furniture to get to it, if I’ve even set it down in the first place. Messages from Gaza are always tricky because the signal is almost non existent but thankfully we have been able to stay in pretty consistent contact the last few days. The children are exhausted, terrorized and malnourished because of the lack of food. Ahmed as a father is broken hearted that his family is suffering so deeply. I am praying we can get them out soon ❤️

Update 2/24

I have to increase our goal to 45,000.

Since starting the GFM, the price for passage including for children, has skyrocketed . We are racing a deadly clock and I am praying with my entire soul that we will make enough to get them out before it’s too late. Never in my life would I have dreamed I would be watching helplessly as people I love so deeply were hurt like this.

Update 2/26

My heart is breaking every moment of the day now. Ahmed is one of the sweetest, kindest, most optimistic and strongest people I’ve ever known but he is exhausted and broken. He has been so strong for his beautiful family and it is tearing me apart to see the light in him fading. We need to make our goal quickly