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We are not numbers!
Do you think a powerful story touches hearts and changes minds? If so, please donate now to We Are Not Numbers.
Throughout the last year, we have told the stories of the men, women, girls and boys who have bravely participated in one of Palestine's greatest experiments in nonviolent resistance: Gaza's Great Return March. Although many international media have set up camp or swooped in and out, our project makes it possible for young Gazans to tell their own stories in their own voices.
In the video we share here, two of our writers--Manar El-Sheikh and Ahmed Alnaouq--share two of the protest participants they have profiled, both for our website and for an upcoming book.
Through this work, our youths learn how to conduct research, interview widely differing types of people and meet deadlines. Working with the international mentors and coaches who are the backbone of our project, they improve their English and learn how to shape powerful narratives. And at the same time, stories that aren't covered by the Western media are getting increasingly widespread, grassroots exposure. In fact, a collection of our essays and poems has just been published in German!
Recently, we expanded our focus with Gazavision--our answer to Eurovision, the singing contest held this year in Tel Aviv.
More than 25 singers from across Gaza entered Gazavision. A panel of judges from the Edward Said Music Conservatory winnowed the list of entrants to six finalists, and one was chosen the ultimate winner through an online vote that attracted participation from more than 3,000 people around the world. Media in countries ranging from Australia to the Netherlands covered the contest.
The winner, Jehad Shehada.
How do we accomplish all of this this? Almost totally through crowdfunding, which is why we need you.
We Are Not Numbers was founded in 2015 by an American journalist, Pam Bailey. Today she is its volunteer international director. Every other staff member (three full-time and four part-time) is a young adult in Gaza--and your donation pays their salaries. In addition, the money you donate pays for:
- Rent of our colorful new space in the MercyCorps' Gaza SkyGeeks building (shown above).
- Videography and editing equipment. (We now have a part-time videographer and editor on the team who work together on an increasing number of news reports, including this popular one on the ever-present sound of drones in Gaza.)
Activities and transportation for our writers. (We have involved more than 150 youth to date; the newest is Ahmed Abu Artema--originator of the Great Return March!)
One of our activities was a tour of Gaza historical sites, including this church.
This is where you come in. Please donate whatever you can today and do it now so the momentum will encourage others. Then, share the link to this page with your friends and family.
- The Great Return March book.
- An interactive, online map of the Gaza Strip, allowing users to click on various locations to see a video of what it looks like on the ground.
- An online gallery showcasing Gaza artists.
Join our family today by donating and spreading the word!
Your giving amount
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Warm, Fuzzy Feeling
You will know, and so will we, that you did something to help keep our project going, sharing the stories of the voiceless from Gaza.
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Personalized email
Receive a personal email from one of our writers, telling you more about him or herself. You can become penpals if you like!
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Visit a 'WANN circle'
One of our writers’ favorite activities is what we call “circles”—weekly meetups where we share reflections about the stories we are writing, the books we’re reading, our disappointments and our “yahoo” moments. You’ll receive a private link to a video shot by our social media assistant Raed, taking you “inside” one of those circles.
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Sponsor a 'tasha'
Don’t know what this is? It’s the Arabic word for an informal social gathering. And our writers love them! Donate this much and we’ll send you a photo of our merry group as we gather to sample the refreshments you’ll buy!
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From our kitchen to yours
One of our writers will send you a family recipe for his or her favorite dish. The recipe will be accompanied by a photo of his or her family eating it!
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‘Adopt’ our intrepid broadcast reporter
This is how much we pay our very own video producer, Rakan Abed El-Rahman. Donate this much and he will send you a personal email when he starts working on a new video, giving you the inside “scoop."
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A poem from Basman
Basman Derawi is our resident poet. You'll notice that his pieces often are a bit (or a lot ) melancholy. But he tells us he will be so happy if you give this much and will write a special poem of thanks for those who give to this level.
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Monthly salary
This is one month's salary for one of our full-time team members. Donate this, and we will send you a photo of teh team at the Gaza sea, with your name written in the sand. Our team depends on you.
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Angel giver
Give $1,000 or more and we will recognize you as just that in the credits for three of our videos. You are obviously an angel!
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Donors
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Recent supporters
Les Filotas
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Updates 4
WE DID IT
Because of each one of you, we made our goal of $25,000 today. Words cannot begin to describe how happy and proud we are. And how grateful we are for your vote of confidence. We will make you proud over the coming year! (Want to make sure you receive our news updates? Subscribe here.)
And we are already starting out on a powerful foot forward: We got a call today from The Carter Center (founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter). They've heard about us and are coming into Gaza to meet the team tomorrow! If you subscribed through the link above, we'll keep you posted on the outcome...
We love you....
Pam, Ahmed, Raed, Asmaa, Ali, Rakan and Issam -- from WE ARE NOT NUMBERS
That pesky link
One of you brought to our attention that the image of Yara produces an error message when clicked. Instead, the video of Yara appeared as an attachment. In case that confused you as well, here's another chance to view her amazing mini film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9FvALt-o1E.
Thanks to all who responded to our plea! We are inching ever closer to our big, hairy dream of a goal: $25,000!
The WANN team: Pam, Ahmed, Issam, Asmaa, Ali and Rakan
Seven days and just $3,500 left to go!
We are soooo close to our goal now, thanks to your help in earning the $10,000 match! We just have $3,500 to go and we will have met our stretch hope for 2019. (Our cautious international director said, "Let's stick to $20,000!" But the writers said, "Let's dream BIG!" Can you help us show them that dreams CAN come true?)
Yara (shown above) is just one of our 200+ writers and she asked us to share this message with you. (Click on the photo and you can see her in a video we produced featuring one of her short essays!) Can you reach into your pockets once more or email your networks one last time and help us get the rest of the way to our goal?
We love you...
In solidarity...Ahmed, Issam, Asmaa, Raed, Rakan and Ali
We have an angel donor!
Thanks to all of you who have donated to our campaign so far! If you haven't heard the news yet, an "angel donor" has stepped forward and pledged to donate $10,000 if we can raise that much on our own first. And...we are halfway there! Can you give any more, or send the campaign link to your circle of friends, asking them to help us get to $10k? Wouldn't it be SO cool to then watch it double to $20,000? Help us get there so we can celebrate together...
Here, you can see a few of our team members with out new slogan, GazaVision: Dare to Dream Together. This is our vision for Gaza and We Are Not Numbers--to create a community where we all dream together. Our goal: a just, peaceful future for Palestinians (and all oppressed people of the world).
Thank you for helping this dream come true, through our stories.
In solidarity,
Pam, Ahmed, Issam, Asmaa, Raed, Rakan, Ali and the rest of We Are Not Numbers
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