Home Again: Your Support Can Make It Happen

After eight months of Genocide and after all the hardships my family and I endured—displacement, hunger, thirst, and loss in northern Gaza—I am writing to share my story with you.

Hello, my name is Roa’a, I am 23 years old. I used to live with my mother, father, brothers Ahmed and Mahmoud, my little sister Raghad, and my aunt in our humble home where we enjoyed a peaceful and happy life. My father is a nursing supervisor who has been working at Al-Shifa Hospital for 32 years, which is the largest hospital in Gaza and provides services to 2 million citizens. and he also teaches nursing students at the university, while my mother is a school principal. Each of my siblings had their work and studies, and we lived in happiness and peace.

But then the war came and changed everything. After four days of conflict, on October 11th, we had no choice but to flee our home to save our lives and the lives of our loved ones. This marked the beginning of a difficult journey of displacement and suffering.

We had to leave our home quickly and haven't been able to return since, leaving behind everything—our beautiful memories and even my beloved cat, Tama, my best friend for eight years. The dire situation did not allow us to take her with us, and unfortunately, I lost her, which was deeply painful.

Throughout the war, we were forced to move from one place to another five times. Each time we found temporary shelter, we had to leave it quickly due to escalating bombings and destruction across many areas in Gaza. We lost our sense of security completely, living every moment in constant anxiety and fear.

During our displacement, we faced extremely harsh conditions. We did not have enough food due to the severe blockade on northern Gaza, and often suffered from hunger. We shared the little we had with other family members. The situation was tragic, yet we hoped to return to our home one day. However, when we finally did, we found it destroyed. The walls were burned, the ceiling was collapsing, and the furniture was shattered. Losing our home was not just about losing material possessions; it was a loss of safety and stability. Every corner of the house held our memories and dreams. Being homeless means living in a state of displacement and uncertainty, not knowing where you will spend the next night or how you will meet your family's basic needs.

Despite all this devastation, we decided to start over and rebuild our lives from scratch. However, the challenges are immense and resources are limited. That is why I am reaching out to you for help. We need your support to rebuild our home and repair the damages. We want to restore a sense of safety and stability for our family and be able to live with dignity in our home once again.

Thank you for reading my story and for your kind support.