UNRWA USA

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What you did for refugees in Gaza this Ramadan

Laila Mokhiber

This year, UNRWA USA supporters raised over $850,000 to feed more than 5,666 refugee families in the Gaza Strip over the course of Ramadan and the rest of summer months

This Ramadan, we asked our American community of supporters -- people of all faiths and backgrounds -- to raise awareness and funds to the situation facing refugees living in the Gaza Strip. 

We asked supporters to put themselves in the shoes of a refugee family in the Gaza Strip: Everyone over the age of ten in your family has lived through three Israeli military assaults on the Gaza Strip and continues to face unimaginable trauma. One or both of your parents are unemployed. Eleven years of total land, sea, and air blockade has limited your family from leaving Gaza for a decade. 40% of families are food insecure. 

You feel trapped. 

This year, the situation deteriorated further following the deathly violence perpetrated by the Israeli military along the northern border of the Gaza Strip. According to UN OCHA and WHO, 137 Palestinians were killed and some 14,800 were injured, including 3,943 by live ammunition gunshots. A majority of these Palestinians were refugees who work for or receive services from UNRWA, and many were children and youth. 

Amidst this violence, UNRWA worked to address the most pressing humanitarian needs, and UNRWA USA supporters raised funds to support one of the most essential needs -- food. Over the course of Ramadan, you and your fellow Americans raised over $850,000 to feed more than 5,666 refugee  families in the Gaza Strip.

20 Instagrammers bring together followers from around the world to support UNRWA's food assistance program during the month of Ramadan

Beyond the dozens of supporters that hosted an Iftar for Gaza event, and the thousands that donated to the Ramadan campaign, 20 Instagram influencers chose to use their public platform to raise awareness and funds for Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip. 

Over the course of one month, they shared information and photos on the situation unfolding in the Gaza Strip, the increased need, what UNRWA does to support over 1 million refugees in Gaza, and how their followers could help provide meals to refugee families through UNRWA's food assistance program. 

These influencers shared personal videos, stories, and photos to demonstrate why they believe in the cause throughout the one-month long Instagram campaign.

This is what Fatima said at the outset of the campaign, urging her followers to take action for refugees this Ramadan. 

Other Instagrammers shared how the US funding cuts have affected UNRWA's ability to provide services to Palestine refugees, why they personally care and believe in supporting Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip, and how their followers can get involved in UNRWA USA's work by donating to feed a Palestine refugee family in Gaza for the entire summer. 

Our Ramadan campaign may be over, but you can continue to stay involved in UNRWA USA's work for Palestine refugees by taking the next steps: