Aid Ashraf’s Mission for a Better Gaza

Product Description

United States

Hello! My name is Diana Sette, and I’m a healthcare worker based in Cleveland, OH, USA. I am helping to raise funds for my friend Ashraf Abu Hamda in Gaza. Any funds donated here I will then transfer directly to him via paypal. Here is a note from Ahsraf:

My name is Ashraf Emad, I am 20 years old. I completed my high school education in August 2023 with a score of 88%. Afterwards, I received a scholarship to study Nursing. However, this war came and shattered our dreams, depriving us of our right to education and a peaceful life.

During this war, I lost part of my home and many members of my family. I worked in a UNRWA shelter center, and then volunteered in humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza, raising donations from abroad to support the poor, the needy, and the sick.

My goal through this initiative is to expand charitable work in Gaza, and to never stop doing good. Thank you to everyone who is willing to contribute, even with something small, to bring happiness to the people of Gaza.

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You can see our previous campaign on gofundme to see some of the work we have done to support the broader community in camps in Gaza: https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-ashrafs-mission-for-a-better-gaza. Please donate through chuffed only. Thank you!

Dearest ,

Thank you for your ongoing support! We have so much to update you on since our first post. Many many things have happened! For more frequent updates, please follow Ashraf’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashraf_abu_hamda19/?igsh=MXdiaWRhdWRvMTJnYw%3D%3D or TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashrafemad188/video/7537297976952245522?_t=ZS-8yrqA60T30Z&_r=1.

First a thank you message directly from Ashraf:

Aslam alikom, From the heart of Gaza, I send you my deepest thanks and gratitude, dear friends, for the support you provide to keep clean water distribution going. I am truly happy for this great achievement that we offer in service to the people and those in need.

With love, Ashraf ❤️

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WATER DISTRIBUTION:

In the past week alone, with the generous support of your donations, Ashraf has been able to distribute 10 water trucks! Some of the water trucks have the capacity of 5,000 litres, and some 3,500 liters. Since this campaign has begun, Ashraf has been able to distribute over 100,000 liters (2,600+ gallons) of water, with the estimation of reaching around 2,700 Palestinian families in Gaza. Majority of his water distribution efforts have been for displaced peoples currently in Al-Bureij Camp. During Eid, Ashraf was also able to give out gifts to children as a special focus.

SPECIAL MEETING:

On Sunday 7/27 and Tuesday 7/29, Ashraf was able to meet in person with Dr. Mohammed Fadlalla who is volunteering with Doctors Without Borders and also from Cleveland. We were able to share in video chats with them and local organizers, and also shared a beautiful video on instagram with a message out to the community. July 29th is also the anniversary of Ashraf’s brother who was martyred in 2014 by Israeli military.

PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEVELAND PALESTINE ADVOCACY COMMUNITY:

In an effort to increase the impact of Ashraf’s water distribution campaign, members of the community in Northeast Ohio have come together in committing to a rolling fast campaign called “Empty Plates to Empty Cannons” and the Fast for Gaza Initiative. For each day of the campaign, individuals commit to fasting and posting a video to social media about their fast with commitments to donate to Ashraf’s campaign, and taking action via other ways like contacting their representatives. This has been a tremendously successful campaign (many of you current donors have been participants already- THANK YOU!!), and we are so grateful of all the ways community members have fasted in solidarity and supported this campaign. If you’d like to join the campaign, you can find more information here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A26Qx_0IoC1O4RxKGCkIIyRri9cbGMGCQw2pAfuX7Q8/edit?tab=t.0

CONDITIONS IN GAZA:

It is important to note that all of the work that Ashraf has been able to accomplish is while he himself is surviving a genocide with forced starvation, bombing, forced displacement and burying of loved ones. Several days Ashraf has gone with little to no food, with maybe one meal of a few falafel, or of some lentils, or a little rice, or a bowl of spaghetti being the only small meal he has a day to survive on without even sugar to add to a cup of tea. He has regularly had to walk long distances in the hot sun, because there is no transportation or fuel available. There have been times where he has waited all day in long lines at the desalination station to get a water truck, or the station has simply been closed completely because of lack of fuel. This is all due to Israel’s continued blockade.

Some days there have been no food to find in the market whatsoever, or if there was flour to be found in the market, the price has been over $100/kilo. It was a celebration last week when one of the days minimal cheese and sugar entered the market.

In search of food, Ashraf has attempted the journey to “aid distribution” sites in Netsarim and Kisufim areas to find either all aid blocked or none remaining, yet lucky to have survived. On one occasion Ashraf was cut on his arm from the attempt. The forced starvation has led to some days where Ashraf has been unable to get up without dizziness. He is currently overcoming a cold/flu, though he’s been able to see a doctor to check on his health today.

Simply to access the donation funds and cash in Gaza is a challenge. The banking system has collapsed from Israel’s blockade, physical cash is very limited, and many money handlers will only accept cash if it is in very good condition. Also, in order to withdraw cash, there is a commission rate that can range from 27% – 50%. The banks charge a deduction, as well as the donation platforms. Ashraf is constantly looking for the lowest commission rates, as we work together to find the most direct way to transfer donation funds so they can stretch as far as possible for Palestinians in Gaza. There have been days, like in early July where the internet communications were cut and connections unstable. Phones are vital life lines to coordinate, communicate, document and connect outside Gaza to receive supports. His previous phone had been stolen. The phone Ashraf currently uses was salvaged from under the rubble of his home with a partially broken camera; the phone was his martyred sister’s.

Ashraf has lost over 33 family members, and innumerable friends and community members. As the focus of this campaign is on water distribution, Ashraf has requested to keep the focus on this, rather then his personal loss.

As Ashraf has said, “every day I am shocked by the martyrdom of friends, neighbors, and loved ones.” Even today he wrote me “things are getting worse day by day. They are demolishing homes, and martyrs are everywhere.”

And yet, through all this, Ashraf still has hopes and dreams. Through this genocide, he has continued his nursing studies, including this summer having completed exams in Pediatric Nursing and Community Health. He dreams one day to continue his studies outside of Gaza due to all of the universities having been bombed in Gaza.

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Lastly, we just want to thank each and every one of your for donating to Ashraf’s campaign to support his people. Every share, every dollar, every effort you make to uplift his efforts, helps to uplift Palestinians in Gaza who are enduring the unimaginable. If you are able, please consider ongoing or monthly donations, as the need is still very high and your impact is great. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We will be grateful to you forever.

Deyar Jamil

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