Meet 11-year-old Mohammed Badran. In 2014, an airstrike on his home left him fatherless and without one eye. Mohammed’s mother struggles to provide for her family due to the fact that her husband was the primary breadwinner.She must also find a way to pay for the treatment of Mohammed and his sibling’s injuries. Unfortunately, stories like Mohammed’s are way too common on the Gaza strip. As a result of the 2014 attack on Gaza, many innocent children became orphans. These children lost their mothers, fathers, siblings, and other loved ones simply because they were born into a war zone. Many orphans, unfortunately, passed away due to their inability to acquire basic human necessities.
During this holy month of Ramadan, many Muslims in Gaza fast from dawn to sunset (roughly 14 hours). The purpose of Ramadan is for Muslims to strengthen their connection with Allah and to purify themselves. Many Muslims in Gaza cannot afford iftar (the meal eaten to break their fast at sunset), so they must either abstain from fasting or starve to death. Ramadan is also a time for charity and service. The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund has created a fundraiser to support orphans and their families and to ensure that their “orphan sponsorship program is sustainable for years to come.” Mohammed and his family have been able to use donations from this charity’s previous fundraisers to sustain themselves. However, the fund needs support now more than ever.
Week to week, we see videos on social media of children dying, crying, and struggling to survive. Week by week we either re-post or like these images and commend ourselves for spreading the word. This is not enough. We need to create tangible change for these children. There are two ways to donate: individual sponsorship or the general fund. Through the individual sponsorship program, you choose an orphan to donate money to and the fund will update you on the child’s progress. The fund promises that “the donor will receive a photo/video and biographical information of the child, a biannual report, and letters from the child or their extended family in Gaza.” Through the general fund route, you can choose to set up an account or you could donate through the Wheaton High School Black Student Union’s go fund me account. This Black Student Union also plans to host bake sales, car washes, etc, to raise money for this cause.
This issue is not about politics. It is about human decency. These children did not decide the environment they were born into and should not be punished for it. Do not be a passive bystander to their pain and suffering. Be the change you want to see in the world.
