Help Motasem and his family survive

Product Description

United States

Hello, my name is Libby Meredith, and I am starting this campaign on behalf of my dear friend Motasem Juneina. Motasem and his family are from Gaza, and they are living through an extremely dangerous and difficult time.

UPDATE

Motasem wrote a new description for the campaign to share a little more about himself and his family that your donations will be helping.

Hello everyone, Before the war, my family enjoyed all kinds of luxury as if we were living in one of the most advanced countries. We had a new house filled with all kinds of accessories and furniture, a modern car, and each family member had a monthly income that allowed them to meet their personal and family needs. But unfortunately, all of that is gone. There’s no house, no car, no peace, no safety, nothing. It all disappeared after 6:00 AM on October 7th. Now, we can’t even gather in the same city. We’ve become separated because of the evacuation orders to the south. Moamen, Mohannad, and Ahmad went to the south, while Mu’tasim, Maram, Manar, and our mother stayed in northern Gaza. Our father was abroad before this genocide began, and thankfully, he wasn’t with us, trapped here in Gaza, because everyone’s life here has completely changed. Faces have become pale, clothes are torn, and the educated and uneducated have become equal, if not worse—the uneducated often have the upper hand. Family Members Trapped in Gaza: My Mother: 58-year-old mother, a primary school teacher on the verge of retirement, was an extremely ambitious woman who dedicated her life to raising her children with good morals, and here we are—all educated, all graduated from the best fields. She was very happy in her job as a primary school teacher and was the foundation and source of strength for our family. Mohannad: 31-year-old brother, who worked tirelessly during his university years, managed to build his life and settle down in a home with his wife and two children. The war separated him from his children because he had no shelter in the south, so he had to set up a tent like many of Gaza’s displaced people. He and his children fell ill due to the pollution, waste, and severe overcrowding in the south. Manar (Me): I’m Manar, 27 years old, married for four years but unable to have children due to a blood condition called blood clotting. I used to work at the SOS Children’s Village as an Arabic language teacher. I loved my job very much and always wished to improve myself, have children with my husband, and live a peaceful life full of happiness and love. However, the difficult circumstances changed the course of my life since the morning of Saturday, October 7th—a date I will never forget, and no one in Gaza will forget. I was awake for work, active as every day, but we didn’t go to work. It was the beginning of displacement for me. On the first day, we lost my husband’s sister’s husband. He was a wonderful person, and we lost him. From that day on, I left Rafah and went to Gaza City to be with my family, fearing for the unborn child I was carrying for seven months. Fearing for him, I fled from Rafah to northern Gaza, hoping it would be safer, but I was wrong. I found no safety in Gaza. Motasem: 26 years old, before the war, I was a civil engineer working in various local and international companies. But unfortunately, the war came, and my life turned into hell. I live in northern Gaza, where there is famine, genocide, and hardship in everything. There’s no water, no electricity, and none of the basic necessities of life. But I have to meet my family’s needs because I am the only man in Gaza with my mother and sisters, and everything fell on my shoulders. Maram: I graduated on October 6th. Our life was wonderful—everything was available. My family was very proud of my achievements in my field and at my university. But my joy didn’t last. Everything changed when we woke up on October 7th to the sound of bombing and the smell of dust and destruction. Mahmoud: 15 years old, the spoiled youngest child. Whatever he asked for, he got. He found himself in a tent that neither shields from the summer heat nor the winter cold. He has lived more than nine months of the war away from his mother, who used to only be apart from him for a few hours. For more than nine months, she hasn’t hugged him, hasn’t kissed him. He needs his mother, and she needs him.

In light of these difficult circumstances, I have launched this fundraising campaign to urgently raise funds to help my family leave Gaza as soon as possible. The total cost to secure their departure is $55,000.

This amount includes $5,000 per person for departure fees, which must be paid to the Egyptian side to facilitate their safe passage upon arrival at their destination. They will also need financial support to cover basic living expenses, including accommodation, food, transportation, and healthcare until they secure stable employment. Additionally, $5,000 is needed for delivery expenses as my sister will soon undergo surgery.

My family will require approximately $2,000 per month for three months to cover basic living expenses, and an additional $8,000 is needed for clothing and urgent medical needs.

The funds raised through this campaign will be used to cover the costs associated with evacuating my family from Gaza. This includes transportation expenses, necessary documentation, and temporary housing until they can find a permanent solution.

Your generous contributions will enable them to escape the war-torn area and give them the chance to start anew, free from the fear and ongoing danger they currently face. Every dollar counts, and your support will not only provide my family with a lifeline but also restore their hope for a brighter future.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and for standing with us during this difficult journey.

Andrea Crawford