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https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/we_are_not_numbers
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Impact: Palestinian Territories
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This campaign will collect all funds raised by July 30, 2016 at 4:45 PM EDT
This project, which needs your help to both survive and grow, pairs developing writers from Gaza and the refugee camps of Lebanon with authors/mentors around the world to tell the human stories behind the numbers in the news.
Two years ago, Israel launched "Operation Protective Edge," killing more than 2,000, injuring more than 11,000 and leaving more than 100,000 homeless. This year, honor Gaza by lifting up their voices.
Gaza as a place—1.8 million people—is neglected by most of the world, rarely receiving much more than a shrug between the periodic Israeli assaults. But one group particularly left out of the power politics and aid allocations is young adults. They go into university stretching every penny, and finally graduate to…nothing. Unemployment among this age group is over 60 percent, and one survey showed the incidence of serious depression at more than half. No wonder suicide is increasing at an alarming rate and smuggler boats—including the one that sunk off the coast of Egypt in 2014—are full. Yet most “aid” programs are aimed at women and children.
Twenty-one-year-old Ahmed Alnaouq lives in Deir Al-Balah, in the middle of the Gaza Strip. During the Israeli assault of the summer of 2014, his older and only brother was killed by an Israeli missile, while walking on the street near his home. Ahmed sunk into a depression from which he thought he would never emerge.
During a Facebook conversation with American journalist Pam Bailey, he confessed, “I extremely miss my brother. I go to his grave all the time, and when I am alone, I burst out crying.”
Given Ahmed’s major, English literature (a very common choice among Gaza youth, in the belief it’s the best way to learn the language and win an NGO job), she encouraged him to write about his brother, to celebrate him, rather than hide his grief. Over the next two months, she worked with Ahmed on his essay, pointing out patterns of English problems and tagging spots that could benefit from an anecdote to make the story “come alive.”
When they were done, Ahmed commented that his English-language skills and grasp of storytelling had improved more over those two months than from a year of classes. Pam realized Ahmed's story needed to be shared, and found a way to publish it for others to read. But with a future that looked dim –with no opportunity to apply what he was learning – Ahmed was increasingly thinking of joining the armed resistance. At least then, he reasoned, he would be doing something to stand up for his people.
Pam’s liberal, Western knee-jerk response was to say, “No, don’t do it. Your family already has lost one child. There are other ways to resist.” But then she realized she had nothing to suggest as an alternative.
Thus, We Are Not Numbers was born, and today, Ahmed is the Gaza project manager. Our sponsor is the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor.
Mentors are journalists, book authors, communications professionals and bloggers from English-speaking countries around the world. Some are Palestinians, such as Susan Abulhawa (author of “Mornings in Jenin”) and Leila El-Haddad (author of “Gaza Kitchen”). Some are Jewish Americans, such as Miko Peled (author of “The General’s Son”) and Alice Rothchild (physician and author of “Broken Promises, Broken Dream”). Some are journalists (such as Ben Norton from Salon) and others are even comedians (Amer Zahr, author of “Being Palestinian Makes Me Smile”).
Working one-on-one via Skype, Facebook and email with their mentors, and with each other on the ground in Gaza (we have monthly meetings), our writers share their personal narratives and the stories of others on our website and elsewhere.
Since starting this project a little more than a year ago, we have:
A little more than a year ago, generous donors like you contributed to help us build our website, hire a project manager, etc. Now we need support again both to maintain our work for the next 12 months and expand.
We have so many ideas for how to grow: publish a book, go on tour, start our own news agency, hire a project manager to recruit Palestinian writers in the West Bank and Lebanon!
Everyone can help!
Email from Gaza
Anyone who gives $10 or more will receive a personal email from one of our writers thanking you for your contribution and telling you more about him or herself. You can become penpals if you like!
125 claimed
Thank you on Facebook
Anyone who gives $20 or more will fund the transportation of a group of our writers on an outing to visit local fishermen and will be called out on Facebook when we post a photo from the event.
47 claimed
Photo from Gaza!
Support the cost of phone and transport for one of our investigative writers for six months as she researches her stories. In return, receive a photo of some of the writers with your name written in the sand on the beach of the Gaza sea!
54 claimed
Call-out in our thank-you video
A donation of $150 will compensate one of our top writers for investigative reporting, a new skill for them. In return, you will be personally thanked in a new We Are Not Numbers! video, posted on our Facebook page and website!
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Be a social media benefactor
Donate $250 to pay the monthly salary of a part-time social media coordinator--and be recognized for doing so in the video credits.
5 claimed
Be a project sponsor
Donate $500 to pay the monthly salary of our Gaza project manager, or of the Lebanon manager (to be hired) and be recognized as doing so in the video credits.
2 claimed
Be a guardian angel
Give $750 or more and in addition to everything else, you will have a very special place in everyone's hearts!
3 claimed
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over 0.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/we_are_not_numbers
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Annie Levy
An Anonymous kind soul
Jeni Bainbridge
An Anonymous kind soul
Rachel McCrum
Katie Vann
Alice Rothchild
Hilda Beshara
Mimi Kirk
Roanne Dods
Steve Jefferys
Richard Kuper
Naomi Wayne
An Anonymous kind soul
Harry Giles
An Anonymous kind soul
HD Motyl
An Anonymous kind soul
Bill Peters
An Anonymous kind soul
We are all refugees
Palestinians know what it's like to be displaced and stateless. So when we see U.S. President Donald Trump and other politicians attempt to use refugees as scapegoats for the world's problems, we are outraged and saddened with them.
To show our solidarity with Syrians and other displaced youth around the world, who have so much to offer, we have begun to publish a series of stories, photograph series and videos showcasing stories beyond our own.
In this first one, we share the heroic spirit of Abdulazez Dukhan:
You will find many other stories on our site these days, ranging from commentary on racism in today's Lebanon, to a humorous look at the many meanings of "inshallah," to a montage of youth perspectives on the one-state "solution" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
We would love to send you updates every other week about our new postings and developments within the project. So, we will be adding your email addresses to our subscription list, because we consider you part of our family. If you would prefer NOT to receive these emails, please just respond to this message and tell us.
Your family at We Are Not Numbers,
Ahmed, Doaa, Pam and the rest of the team
Salam from Gaza!
We are feeling thankful for your support in 2016, and thus share here some recent examples of stories that have uplifted us--and hope they will do the same for you.
At a time of year that is a holiday for many, Palestinians say "salam." Palestinian culture is rich in expressions of peace.
A day in Gaza: A date with Santiago and the sea
He woke up one day and discovered, in the Gaza that can bring so much pain, 24 hours of love and wonder.
She never imagined finding a circus in Gaza. She only knew about circuses from the internet. But now there is one.
In the Gaza Strip, there are literally thousands of John Silvers, superheroes who survived the wars despite severe disabilities, and today have come together.
We hope you will visit our website to read and share more of our stories. In the meantime, salam!
Ahmed, Doaa, Pam and the rest of the We Are Not Numbers team
Gaza stands with Standing Rock in new video
In times like this, when right-wing, warhawk politicians seem to be taking control in more and more countries, we must make common cause with others against oppression. In our latest video, we send our love to the Native Americans at Standing Rock, who are attempting to defend their sacred land from incursion by an oil pipleline. Please watch the video and share it with your networks!
In an accompanying letter, writer Israa Suliman says to Native Americans: "When I read your history, I can see myself and my people reflected in yours. I feel in my core that your fight is my fight, and that I am not alone in the battle against injustice."
If you like it as much as we do, please share this with your networks. It's feedback from our fans that motivates us to keep going!
The We Are Not Numbers team
Guess which celebrity publicly said he is our fan?
We are thrilled to report that Danny Glover, American actor, film director and political activist, has joined our list of supporters! He saw our writer's "Letter from Gaza to Black America" on our media partner, Mondoweiss. And he had this to say on Twitter: A letter from Gaza to Black America - very powerful! You should follow @WeAreNotNumbers.
With your help, we will continue to attract new followers and support. Please sign up to receive our updates if you haven't already. (Visit our website, and click on "subscribe" in the upper righthand corner.) Then share our link with your network.
Meanwhile, here is one of our recent stories, to tempt you to want to read more: "When bombs drop, Gazans joke...and pray."
The We Are Not Numbers team
Gaza sends a message to the "women's flotilla"
Using a little of the money you donated, the We Are Not Numbers team has created a video message to the crew and passengers on board the Women's Boat to Gaza flotilla. The video explains just how how much the sea means to the Palestinians of Gaza, as well as how this "jewel" has also become a prison. Although we know the boats likely will be confiscated once again by Israeli forces, just knowing our supporters won't stop trying to break the blockade means so much. Please watch and share this video with your network.
Just a week or so ago, the UN met to debate once again how to respond to the "refugee crisis." In this moving letter, one of our writers from Lebanon asks on behalf of all "warehoused refugees" not to be forgotten.
The parallels between the racial discrimination experienced by African-Americans and occupied Palestinians are strong and clear, as this writer explains.
Check out more of our stories by visiting our website! And to receive our newsletters, sign up while you are there by clicking on the "subscribe" button in the upper right corner of the page.
Have a suggestion or a question? Email Pam at pam@euromedmonitor.org. We'd love to hear from you.
Ahmed, Anas, Amera and the rest of the We Are Not Numbers team
An update for our donor family!
An awful lot has happened since we communicated last...Let us share some of our news and stories:
Apparently, reporting human rights violations and sharing our personal narratives are tantamount to "terrorst activity." Pam Bailey was on her way into Gaza to be with us, having already secured a permit to enter the Strip. However, she was arrested in Ben Gurion Airport and deported home after 12 hours of detention--and given a 10-year ban on returning! You can read her personal account on her blog.
We will not be defeated, however. With your ongoing support, we will survive and thrive.
As the UN met Sept. 19-20, we issued a letter from one of our writers in Lebanon, calling for dignity and a just resolution to the plight of "warehoused refugees" around the world. You can read the letter or watch a video.
Today we published a moving poem in honor of International Peace Day, written by the newest member of our family, a 14-year-old boy from Jordan. Read "Speaking of.."
There is so much more on our website. Please visit and hit "subscribe" to receive regular project updates. Also follow us on Facebook.
Yours in solidarity,
Ahmed, Anas, Basel, Pam and the rest of the WANN team
We made it!!!!! So here is a special gift
We have made our fundraising goal!
Thanks to each of you, we have so much reason to CELEBRATE.
Over the next month we will be working to individually connect with you, send photos, etc. Be patient -- there are a lot of you and we are thrilled about it!
Meanwhile, we hope you sign up to receive our email updates by clicking on the "subscribe" button on our home page at We Are Not Numbers.
To give you just a taste of the new work we will be doing with the aid of your financial assistance, take a look at this video letter to Hillary Clinton, the new U.S. presidential candidate, that we are now circulating.
We will be in touch, and we hope you keep following us as well. We're on Facebook and Twitter.
Ahmed, Rawan and Pam
The We Are Not Numbers core team
Eid Mubarak, and the second anniversary of the Gaza war
To all of our donors:
First, for those of you who are Muslim, we want to say, Eid Mubarak! Please read our latest Ramadan story as our gift to you.
We have been so incredibly overwhelmed by the wave of support for our campaign to fund We Are Not Numbers for another year. Not only are we at more than 60 percent of our goal with more than 20 days left to go, but more than 300 people have joined in! We would much prefer a broad base of small supporters than a few big ones. It is so heartwarming and MOTIVATING.
We are optimistic now that not only will we make our goal, but that we can even exceed it. There are so many things on our wish list -- like starting an online gallery for Gaza artists -- and if we raise more, we can do more....and share it with you!!
This week marks the second anniversary of the start of the 2014 war on Gaza, a very difficult time for many of our writers who lost loved ones or their homes. Please continue to show your love by sharing our campaign link, donating more if you can and reading the stories we'll be sharing. For example, one of our writers just posted a story called "A Childhood Measured by Wars."
Check out the links on our fundraising page to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as we share our stories with the world. To follow our stories regularly, visit our home page and click on "subscribe" button in the top right corner: http://wearenotnumbers.org/.
We love you, and will keep you posted on our progress.
The We Are Not Numbers team
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over 0.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/we_are_not_numbers
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
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Giving is better together! Your share could raise over 0.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/we_are_not_numbers
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
