Intro

++ Hello//Marhaba! My name is Jane Frazier (USA/Jordan.)

Lillian Ballo (Norway) started her GoFundMe page for Mohand last year, and we have decided to restart/move his campaign to a USD platflorm. We hope this gives for better ease and accessibility for our supporters.

Palestinians have linked hearts and minds across the globe, and I hope you will join us in supporting our dear friend Mohand and his family, until liberation is realized, and the economic, social, and infrastructure is rebuilt, and Palestinians see freedom, equality, and life in the Gaza Strip.

From week of 13 January 2025 displacement camp teaching session

I am including Lillian's original message, along with current updates and insights. In her own words:

"I want to raise money to help my friend, Mohand Munir Al-Ashram out of Gaza. I have been talking and writing with him daily for many months. He is an outstanding singer and artist. The world needs his voice. He has an Instagram page where you can get to know him, please search for @mohand_ash

His story

"Mohand is a Palestinian artist hailing from the Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza City. Endowed with a melodious voice and skilled in playing the Oud, he is also a music producer. His natural talent flourished when he enrolled at the Said Darwish Institute in Gaza (since destroyed from the war after Lillian's initial writing) where he honed his skills under the tutelage of musician Salam Surur, and became associated with the Gaza-based band, "Sol."

Current Situation

"The artistic scene in Gaza has been devastated by the ongoing war. Mohand's artistic journey came to a sudden halt with the onslaught of war, simultaneously endangering his and his family's life. They were displaced, having narrowly escaped a direct Israeli strike on their home, and emerged from under the rubble with injuries. Moreover, they are subjected to severe blockade, lacking even the necessities of life such as food, water, and healthcare."

*Updated:

++ On 15 January, 2025 a ceasefire agreement was reached between official parties in Qatar, but is not due to be implemented until 19 January. We have witnessed the occupying forces renege and continue firing on civilian displacement camps. Now is not the time to lessen mutual aid and solidarity for our friends in Gaza. In fact, there is much support needed and further work to be done. Morale is always needed, welcomed and encouraged, and financial support is necessary and impactful.

<3 We Help Each Other <3

++ At the time during Lillian's original writing, "the losses include his musical instruments which he struggled to acquire under the blockade that has been in place for 19 years, starting when Mohand was just 4 years old."

He has since lost the music studio he worked in, along with other complexes and facilities within the camp where people attended sports and music functions as part of daily life.

A recent development :(

Contributing to Gaza's Culture

"Despite the adversaries, Mohand is Gaza's soothing voice, participating in numerous local celebrations. He also worked in training children and enhancing their mental well being post/during war through music, an endeavor noticed by "Sol" band during his childhood training sessions. Inspired by Mohand's unique talent, the band's percussionist, Fares Anbar, encouraged him to carry this message forward to support Gaza's children.

Call for Support

*Updated

++ When Lillian started her fundraiser, the initial goal was for Mohand to receive enough funds to evacuate Gaza to Egypt, in order to further his musical career, get established, and begin raising money for himself and his family. Once the borders were seized and shut off in May of 2024, this hope and plan slowly dissipated and was moved to the back of the mind, as the devastation and horrors continued unabated. The funds collected were reallocated toward daily survival within the Gaza Strip.

++Today, Mohand worries for his and his family's future. Without continued mutual aid support, it is impossible to imagine how they will continue surviving. I wish to remind everyone that the need for financial support extends beyond any end in bombings, killing, and displacement. Almost 80% of Gaza's infrastructure is completely destroyed: roads, residential blocks, schools, government agencies, mosques, churches, libraries, shopping centers, agricultural lands and irrigation, plumbing, everything.

The threat of occupation has not lifted. Even after surviving and enduring the worst conditions these people have ever witnessed, Mohand continues to give back to his community he loves so much. He loves life! He continues to work with the children in Maghazi camp, and displacement camps in Dier-al-Balah.

It has been said not all heroes wear capes, and indeed this is true for Mohand. Your donations help motivate, support, encourage and energize his life and initiatives within his community in Gaza, his family, and any plans he may continue to dream up for his future at home or abroad. He deserves choices, freedom, expression, and life. He deserves life.

++Despite recent and past mandatory evacuation orders, he and his family have since returned and sheltered in place at their family home where they remain together. I particularly enjoy when his baby twin nieces, Watin and Nasrine, are awake and able to say hello, wave, smile, and maybe blow a kiss or two. It is just as well to see one or the other asleep on his shoulder or on a pillow nearby in the room everyone shares to sleep in.

His young newphews Saned and Hamza just welcomed another baby girl cousin a few months back. Thank God! She is beautiful and healthy. I do not see his younger siblings much, and (besides Mohand of course) I speak mostly with his older sister Yasmine and her husband Mohammad. I am lucky that his mom and Yasmine speak s-l-o-w-l-y to me and take patience for my broken arabic. I don't deserve it! His father is a jokester, let me tell you, he is full of jokes! He teaches me good-to-know Arabic idioms. Honestly, I would love to try his hand at a card game sometime. They love life.

++ A few months back in October 2024, there was a big scare with heavy shelling near Mohand's home, that I will never forget, either. Lillian posted the day after in her fundraiser the following day,

24 October 2024 - update by Lillian Ballo

"Mohand and his family still live at their family home. There are no safe places in Gaza, so there are no other places to go. Yesterday was terrifying. I received several messages from Mohand that there was shelling near his home. He sent me audio recordings and I could hear the shooting nearby.

Just in case the worst happened, we said our goodbyes. Fortunately, this night went well, and it was a relief when he sent a "good morning" greeting this morning.

This morning his family finally got to eat some bread. They only eat once a day, if it is possible. It is very difficult to get clean water to drink. They save on everything.

Mohand and I have made an agreement on what he wants me to do with the donations if he does not survive the war. His wish is for me to give gifts to the children of Gaza. I have promised him that I will fulfill his wish.

I have told Mohand not to give up. He must do everything he can to survive. He has given me a promise that he will not give up. He has a dream of being able to make a living from music and help his family.

On behalf of Mohand, I would like to thank you for all donations, and thank you for sharing the link on social media. It means everything to have so much support from all over the world!

I hope you continue to help us raise money so that Mohand can one day be able to make a living from his music in freedom. Please share and donate.

January 2025

++Thank you, Lillian, for the work you selflessly put in to starting this campaign for Mohand and his family. Because of your efforts, his friendships and following have grown widely. This proves one thing of which I am certain, we cannot do it alone. We will continue to support Mohand and the rest of the Al-Ashram family as long as it takes. Although the circumstances under which we have all come to know one another are grim, to the say the least, I am grateful every day for our connection. The world and humanity are at a crossroads, and I am happy to be walking along with all of you.

Thank you for reading, donating, sharing, and engaging with us!

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, or if you'd just like to talk and say hi!

As always, much love to you all

and Free Palestine

Love, Jane

Help Mohand and his Family in Gaza

Mutual Aid for Al-Ashram Family