Real stories

Tamer’s Story

"My heartfelt appreciation goes to the Welfare Association and all their donors for supporting this important project."

Emergency Relief

Tamer is 33 years old and lives in Al-Mansheya, Beit Lahiya, in Northern Gaza. He is unable to find full-time employment and is always on the look-out for temporary jobs to support his family of five. His eldest child Samer is 9, and his youngest Jana is 2 years old.

Tamer’s family live in a very small rented house, there is not enough space for all of them to live comfortably. This year Tamer’s income has been sporadic and is not enough to cover his families rent and basic needs. He recently found temporary agricultural work, however he only earned around US $130 per month, well short of fulfilling their essential needs.

Like many in Gaza, living under siege and unable to secure regular employment, Tamer’s financial struggles have led him into debt to provide for his family, particularly from grocers and the pharmacy. These debts are a constant weight hanging over him.

Thankfully, Tamer was able to find employment in WA’s ‘Distribution of Fresh Food Parcels in Gaza, Ramadan 2023’ project. He joined the project team and was responsible for packaging and distributing parcels of fresh fruits, vegetables, and produce for project beneficiaries. Tamer earned a daily rate of $15 during the month-long project, more than he is normally able to earn. This gave Tamer a boost, helping him to provide for his family while also repaying some of his debts.

To read about this project and its impact in full, please click here.

Tamer’s participation in the project also gave him a sense of belonging, being able to give back to his local community by supporting others in need. Tamer enjoyed being part of the team and making a difference, as it restored his feeling of purpose and value. Additionally, the project allowed Tamer to achieve a goal which meant a great deal to him. He was able to use a portion of his earnings to purchase new Eid Al Fitr clothes for his family, which made his family very happy during the festive season.

Tamer said:

“Without a doubt, the project brought immense happiness to me and my family. I was at a loss, worrying how to navigate the Eid period amidst the numerous financial responsibilities weighing me down. I spent all day and night worrying about how I could provide my children with Eid Al Fitr clothes, just like their peers, and make them happy again.”

He further expressed:

“My heartfelt appreciation goes to the Welfare Association and all their donors for supporting this important project. Not only did it help families in need, but it also overwhelmed our project team with joy as we helped others. I hope projects like this continue beyond Ramadan.”