My name is Um Ahmed, and I am from Rafah, Gaza
I used to live with my husband and our 4 children. Life was already very difficult, but when the war broke out, everything changed. We were forced to flee our home and seek refuge in Khan Younis, where living conditions were extremely harsh..
During the war, my husband was killed, and I became a widow, left alone to care for our four children : two daughters and two sons.
My daughter, Janna, has Down syndrome. Every month, she needs thyroid blood tests because her thyroid levels are very high. She also needs regular eye examinations and glasses because her eyesight is extremely poor.
Today, I am their only provider, and our situation is extremely difficult. No one checks on us or asks how we are doing. My children have many needs, but I have nowhere to go with them. We are currently staying at my father's home, but no one is there to support us. Since my husband's death, we have had no source of income.
Every month, I have to pay for medical tests for my eldest daughter, who has special needs. I cannot even afford to provide my children with their basic daily necessities. No one helps us, and no one asks about our situation. Sometimes, I cannot even afford to buy flour to make bread for my children
My children are suffering emotionally and psychologically. Since losing their father, they have had to endure not only the pain of his absence but also the deprivation of almost everything they need in their daily lives.
Every day, they go to school without the supplies and necessities they need. I cannot even give them their daily pocket money. It breaks my heart that I cannot provide them with even the simplest things that every child deserves.
I am doing everything I can to care for my children, but I can no longer face these hardships alone. I desperately need help to provide them with food, basic necessities, education, and the medical care my daughter needs.