Help Us Rebuild And Restore The Life Stolen From Us

Hello,

My name is Daniel Schroeder from Colorado, USA and I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of my Palestinian friend Sara Alsaad, her mother Somia Samara, and her sister Fatima and brother Abd Alrahman. They currently reside in Egypt after evacuating from Gaza (where Sara's fiancé, Karam, is tragically still residing due to the border closing) and they need our help to cover living costs and start rebuilding their lives. The Egyptian government offers little to no support for Palestinian refugees, and even worse does not afford them employment opportunities so that they may support themselves. Their story, as written by Somia Samara is below. (Note: As Somia's fluency in English is limited, I have done my best to edit her story for clarity.)

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Hello world,

I hope this message finds you safe and well, as safety is all I wish for every human in the whole world. My name is Somia Samara, and I am a single mother to three beautiful children Sarah, Abd Alrahman and Fatima (whom I still see through my eyes as my little ones even though they are not so little anymore). I am writing to you as a war survivor from the most unsafe place in the world, Gaza City, where the ongoing violence and oppression has turned every day into a battle for survival.

My story doesn't just begin on the 7th of October.

As all the single mothers out there know, we have a hard journey to save and build a stable life for our kids. Even in the Middle East being a single mother is especially difficult. I lost both of my parents, who were my only support in this life. May they rest in peace, ameen.

I then had to start my journey again, all alone.

But I can say that what followed was the only period in my life when I felt that I could finally rest -- I owned my own house! I felt that life had finally given me some stability. My home and my kids were with me! What a great pleasure, I couldn't ask for more!

Then the 7th of October came.

Since the beginning of the war on Gaza on the 7th of October, my family and I woke up to the sounds of explosions and destruction around us. Everything changed in moments. My children's faces were pale, marked with fear and panic.

After some time, we were asked to evacuate our home in Gaza City -- my beautiful house with all its endless details. We went to my friend's home near Al Quds Hospital; then we evacuated to Khan Yunis; and then we evacuated again to Rafah.

As a mother responsible for three souls, I had no choice but to follow all the evacuation orders that were given to us. I was trying to ease a hard life for my children and to give them some hope. Believe me, even during the hardest and darkest nights I felt a little safer with all of us together, sleeping beside each other. And even if we were to be bombed, we would at least die together!

Every day I wake up and thank God that he has given us another day to spend with each other. I saw my children trying to carry a huge responsibility just to have some water and food so that we did not go to sleep hungry! Yes, they are not children anymore -- they grew up in this genocide!

We lived 6 months of horrible days, counting it by hours and minutes and making sure every second that we were all just fine. Making decisions to evacuate with no place to evacuate to, without knowing what was waiting for us in the next day, wondering if the next evacuation would be our end! An unending cycle of overthinking -- thinking all the time, as all mothers do, that that my children's lives would be stolen from them. They didn't deserve to live like that! But I also feel blessed that they are in good health and without loss of limb.

I'm now in the middle of nowhere! Thank God we are all safe, but I am also wondering what is next! And how we will continue our lives after we lost everything we ever owned! Even my beautiful home!

Writing to you all, I am hopeful that generous individuals such as yourselves will stand by my side. As I am thinking about my children's lives, I am also thinking about their future. As you may already know, there are no opportunities for work here in Egypt for refugees, and so we as a displaced family are left trying our best again with no way of earning income.

As a woman entering her 50s, I am tired of thinking about how I will rebuild our lives from scratch again! I also require some medical care -- I have difficulties with my vision and previously had bile duct surgery that now requires follow up care and tests.

Your donations will help save my health and help save my children! Your donations will go to cover four souls' lives and will give us a chance to start over and continue my medical care and my children’s education.

With love and respect to all the single mothers out there, and to all the angels who will help us start again from scratch,

Somia Samara

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All funds raised will be transferred by me via Western Union.