Conversations with Oday
Words by Oday – please follow on IG @oday.7gaza
Image by Palestinian Photographer and Filmmaker Mahmoud Abu Hamda. Please follow on IG @mahmoudhamda
I use Oday’s words as it is his story and the story of his family. The least I can do is record his words, to share them and to bear witness. Then I use the images of Palestinian Photographers that I admire in the hope that others might follow them, so that others too can at least be informed and to also bear witness.
After I shared the last photo of Mahmoud’s Oday told me how much he admired Mahmoud and that he had hoped to study with him. Unfortunately, Oday had to leave his studies to support his family, which resulted in leaving Gaza, and embarking on a challenging journey to Belgium.
Oday is alone in a foreign country, dealing with the genocide of his people and has the incredible task of keeping his family alive. He is 21 years old. And he never complains. He speaks of the horror with a wisdom and a clarity but he never complains. He was not complaining, he was just telling me how much he admired Mahmoud and how he would have studied with him if it was a different time in a different world.
I hope one day Oday can return to Gaza, that his family will survive this horror, that they will be reunited, and I also said a little prayer last night that one day he might study with Mahmoud.
Oday is my friend. At 21, he is the sole provider for his beloved family in Gaza and needs our help. Every day is a struggle for survival for his family. His dream is to help them evacuate as soon as border crossings are opened.
If you can help at all, no donation too small, it would make such a difference to people who are in such dire need.
To help Oday and his family please see below:
You can donate directly to his GoFundMe Account
You can donate to me at the shop. I also have fundraisers instore and online.
Please follow Oday’s sister Ameera and her son Amir on Instagram @ameeraraida995 and if you can help her directly that would also be so kind.
Thank you,
xxxLara
Beauty, hope, joy, & inspiration
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