Hello, my name is Sarah Hartzell and I am hosting this fundraiser to help Ahmad Abu Raida and his family escape the imminent invasion of Rafah in Gaza, Palestine. I am located in the US, and have been fundraising and communicating with Ahmad since this January.
Unfortunately, Ahmad and his family have been forced to make this heartbreaking decision, to evacuate their homeland in order to escape constant bombardment and starvation.
Meet the Aburaida Family:
- Ahmad Raed Aburaida
- Raed Hussein Aburaida
- Muhammad Raed Aburaida
- Hana Suleiman Aburaida
- Aya Raed Aburaida
- Lamis Adel Aburaida
- Raed Aburaida
- Dina Raed Aburaida
They have been displaced from their village of Khuza’a and currently reside in the tent camps in Rafah after being told by the occupation that it was the “safe zone”. The conditions have been unforgiving. The only protection between the family and the elements are plastic sheets and blankets.
An image of the Raida family front door. It floods very easily in the tent camps.
More flooding in the camps.
Food, hygiene products, water, medicine, and other necessities for survival are hard to find. When they are available, they are very, very expensive. Ahmad’s family has no source of income due to the bombardment, so they have been affording what they can with donations.
Breaking fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Dinner for a family of 8.
In addition to basic life necessities, this family also urgently needs to evacuate to Egypt. The Egyptian government is inhumanely forcing Gazans to pay thousands of dollars to escape genocide; $2,500 per child, $5,000 per adult. For Ahmad’s family of 8, the evacuation fee is $40,000. They will be using the Hala travel agency.
Gazan families are also required to pay for transportation.
This fundraiser is also raising funds to provide financial security to Ahmad’s family for 6 months following evacuation. At an estimated $2,800 USD (132,728.40 EGP) per month for a family of 8, for 6 months, we need to raise about $16,800 for cost of living expenses in Cairo (rent, utilities, food, transportation, etc.).
Cost breakdown:
- Evacuation ($5,000 per adult)- $40,000
- Transportation- $2,500
- Cost of living in Cairo for 6 months, family of 8- $16,800
- Survival before evacuation- $5,000
Total- $64,300
Here is Ahmad’s instagram where he posts regular updates on the living conditions in the tent camps.
https://www.instagram.com/eng_ahmad_raida?igsh=NHN2YmV1emtwaHU5
Please, donate what you can spare to help Ahmad and his family afford to escape the imminent invasion of Rafah. This is a race against time.
Funds are transferred to Ahmad via PayPal
