Support the Ayla Project's Work With War Refugee Families

My name is Tara Britton. I am based in Seattle. Along with Rula Khoury, I am a co-Founder and Director of the Ayla Project, and I am writing you today because we need your support. The Ayla Project International (API) is a nonpolitical humanitarian organization that empowers critically-ill or injured war refugee children, their mothers, and families to flourish through safe relocation, and medical, psychological, educational and employment resources.

It all started with 3-year old little Lulu, a heart patient with dangerously low 55% oxygen saturation. In January of this year, she was fading fast in the midst of the worsening humanitarian crisis and conflict zone in the Middle East. Against all odds, our team was able to evacuate Lulu to Egypt in an exodus that could only be described as Hollywood-movie worthy. 

This video was taken in March of Lulu at 95% oxygen saturation post-hospitalization and medical treatment in Egypt.

Since Lulu, the team was able to evacuate 12 critically-ill children, siblings and mothers, and to assist 10 other women and children in a myriad of ways, from securing special formula to keep them alive to the provision of medical services, safe housing and other forms of support. Little Adam Lulu who has a heart condition and epileptic seizures, is now safely in Egypt receiving medical treatment and other forms of support under the care of the Ayla Project. There is also Muhammed Adam. While he was in the war zone, a concrete pillar fell on him, breaking his hip in multiple places and causing him excruciating pain. Muhammed Adam was evacuated to Egypt to a remote, unsanitary hospital which did not treat him for his diabetes or operate on him for his broken hip.

The Ayla Project team was able to get Adam transferred to the capital and scheduled for a complex surgery which was completed successfully. We then secured a walker and a wheelchair for him with the help of our partners at Beloved Son. We invited Adam, along with the other families in the Ayla Project, to a party at a fun park for children.

I wish you could have seen Adam smiling, laughing and playing with the other children, and the look of sheer joy on his face when our volunteer Amged Said scooped him up and put him alongside him in a bumper car. Like the other children, Adam received a winter jacket, toys, a meal and cake. This is the stuff that childhood SHOULD be made of. No child asks or chooses to be born into a war zone.

With strenuous physical therapy, Adam recently begin walking and climbing stairs without assistance for the first time in his life.

Since January, our volunteer collective has grown to include 5 team members in Seattle and 4 in Egypt working to heal, support and empower evacuated families to thrive in Egypt.

While the Ayla Project began in the Middle East, our vision is to expand to serve critically ill and injured children in conflict zones and their mothers in areas of conflict around the world. We will soon begin working with refugee families in Seattle and families in Egypt seeking refugee from the conflict in Sudan. Every child, regardless of where they come from, deserves hope and a future to look forward to.

It is our goal to raise $30,000 in general support for the Ayla Project to be used where needed most at the time of receipt, whether that is assisting a family with accessing medical treatment or education, providing water filtration devices, sanitation and hygiene supplies, food baskets, income generation training, employment support and more.

Cultural anthropologist Margaret Meade once said:

“Never doubt that a small, thoughtful, committed group of citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Any gift, large or small, helps us reach the goal, and means the world to these families.

Thank you for giving to support the Ayla Project today!