Transform Ibrahim's Life: Rebuilding the Future

(Hello! My name is Cassie, I'm a fourth year college student and I am helping Ibrahim Abu-Saqer launch his personal campaign on GoFundMe. Ibrahim's story has really moved me. His selflessness and determination to help his loved ones is unwavering, as he spent endless hours campaigning for his family's safety. Now is the time to move forward in rebuilding Ibrahim's future. With the funds raised for Ibrahim's campaign, he will begin to rebuild his life. He will achieve this by gaining safe housing for him and his family, continuing his education, and supporting the dreams of his immediate family. Thank you for taking the time to support Ibrahim's campaign, and please take a moment to share his story.)

“I intend to benefit my people by serving them and being proactive. [...] My role model in life is the doctor who sacrificed their time and life to help the wounded…they inspire me greatly. [...] I aspire to follow in their footsteps, to become a beacon of hope and catalyst for change in my community and beyond.”

These are but a few of the sentiments Ibrahim has expressed when ruminating on his future. Even after losing everything of his own, his priority is to help others. Someone whose goals are as selfless as this deserves to have their voice amplified and uplifted.

Before the horrors in Palestine escalated, a then 21 year old Ibrahim Abu-Saqer was studying as a college student at the prestigious Al-Azhar university in central Gaza with a dream to become a dentist. He worked diligently, studying for 4 years, and paid a great deal to ensure his dream would become a reality.

Numerous displacements and bombardments have put all of his plans on hold, even something as simple as a 22nd birthday celebration. Countless friends, colleagues, and instructors of Ibrahim’s have been martyred. Among the other students he befriended during his time in college, many dreamt of also one day becoming doctors themselves, each with passionate hopes and dreams of their own. Even so, in the wake of all this disaster and pain, Ibrahim has remained resolute. He has selflessly dedicated the past months to organizing and setting up countless connections all around the world to raise money in order to get his family and himself to safety in Egypt. There, they can begin to rebuild their lives. The initial financial goal for evacuation has been met, but it has yet to come to fruition as the borders are currently closed. Still they feed their hopes with plans for the future.

Naturally Ibrahim's aspirations encompass his family's dreams as well, as he intends to fully support them in all of their own pursuits. Ibrahim's mother, Safinaz, plans on continuing her legacy of education and impact by continuing to teach science as a UN employee. His father, Mohsen, with access to proper medical care and treatment, will be able to address his diabetes and focus on his health. This will allow Mohsen to better support the dreams of his 5 children. Ibrahim's 24 year old brother, Yahia, formerly a Master’s student and teaching assistant in data science, hopes to continue what he started once they are able to relocate. His soon to be 23 year old sister, Hala, a biotech specialist dreams to one day complete her education abroad. His 18 year old sister, Haia, recipient of a Turkish scholarship following her graduation from high school, plans to one day become a psychiatrist. As for his youngest sibling, 17 year old Deema, her dreaming has only just begun. She wishes to celebrate her high school graduation and explore career options alongside her family. Funds from this campaign will be allocated for survival in addition to supporting their dreams. Supporting Ibrahim, in turn, supports all of these worthy individuals.

After he and his family successfully evacuate from central Gaza and settle in Egypt, Ibrahim intends to complete his education so he can provide for his family and continue making them proud. But again, his ambitions expand far beyond just his career; by focusing on community rehabilitation through maxillofacial surgery, he hopes to help rebuild what others have lost. Upon completing his studies, he intends to return to his homeland to apply the knowledge and skills he has acquired by developing practices and enhancing the quality of his sector of work, as well as working to promote awareness in his community. From the first day we got into contact, Ibrahim expressed to me his deep devotion to his community and his hopes to take up a role of leadership in his community to help gain collective Palestinian freedom, safety, and means to thrive.

You can help to ensure Ibrahim’s dreams become reality with engagement and donation. His unbreakable courage, ambition, and commitment have gotten him this far, and now it is up to us to help him fulfill his dreams!!