Those are the words of my friend Ahmed Amin🥹😭

I never thought I’d be writing this, asking for help from people . But when life takes everything from you, you do what you must to survive.

My family and I live in Gaza, a place that’s been torn apart by war for as long as I can remember. We’re a family of eight—my parents, my four younger siblings, and me. We used to have a small home, nothing fancy, but it was ours. There was enough food on the table, clean water to drink, and even moments of laughter despite the hardships. That was before the bombings started.

When the strikes hit, our home was destroyed. We lost everything. Clothes, food, our few belongings—all buried under the rubble. We were lucky to make it out alive. Some of our neighbors weren’t as fortunate. After that, there wasn’t time to grieve. We had to move fast. Shelters were overcrowded, and we knew we couldn’t depend on anyone else for safety or support. Like many others here, we had to fend for ourselves.

It’s hard to explain what it feels like to lose everything in a single moment. The first days after were a blur of confusion and fear, trying to figure out where to go, what to eat, how to keep the kids safe. But even in all that chaos, I realized we weren’t the only ones in need. Dozens of families around us had lost their homes too. Some had gone days without food or water. The shelters were full, and many were sleeping in the open, exposed to the elements.

That’s when we made a decision. We couldn’t just focus on ourselves. We had to help others, too. We started gathering what little food and water we could find and sharing it with the families around us. My father and I walk miles every day to find whatever resources we can—small sacks of rice, a few bottles of clean water. It’s not much, but it keeps people going. My mother helps tend to the children, especially the younger ones who are terrified and confused by what’s happening.

With the little we had, we started building makeshift shelters—tents made out of tarps, blankets, or any materials we could salvage from the ruins. It’s not perfect. When the rain comes, the tents barely hold, and there’s little to protect against the cold nights. But it’s better than nothing.

There are so many families like ours, living in desperate conditions. One family we’ve been helping lost everything when their building was hit. They’ve been sleeping under a tree with nothing but the clothes on their backs. We gave them some food and blankets, but it’s never enough. There are too many people in need, and not enough to go around.

What we’re doing is just a drop in the ocean. It’s heartbreaking to look into the eyes of children who haven’t eaten in days, or to see a mother trying to comfort her baby with nothing to give. The need here is overwhelming, and every day it grows more urgent.

We need help. That’s why I’m writing this. My family is trying to provide food, water, and shelter to as many people as we can, but we’ve reached our limit. We need resources—food, clean water, and materials for proper shelter. Every donation can make a difference, whether it’s $5 or $500. It means a meal for a family that hasn’t eaten in days. It means clean drinking water in a place where that’s becoming harder to find. It means shelter from the wind, the rain, and the cold.

The situation here is getting worse by the day. The conflict continues, and winter is approaching fast. For those living in the open, especially children and the elderly, survival is becoming a daily struggle. Your support can bring immediate relief to families who have lost everything.

I know that there are many crises happening in the world right now. But here in Gaza, we are living on the edge. The smallest gesture of help can go a long way. Even sharing this post can make a difference by raising awareness of what’s happening here.

Thank you for reading this and for considering helping us. No matter where you are, your support means the world to families like mine. It shows that, even in the darkest times, we’re not alone.

Please, help us bring hope and relief to those who need it most. Every bit counts.