How did you get in touch with the families?

Family 1 are relatives of our friends. They have been redistributing donated funds on the ground to support 7 other extended multigenerational families in Gaza, including orphaned children.

We reached out to Manar Ashour (Family 2) through Palestine Solidarity Action Network (@pal_solidarity_zh), a Chinese American autonomous collective for Palestine, whom we are connected with in our organising efforts. Through their network, we contacted Manar to see how we could support her fundraiser directly to avoid the 7% fee imposed by gogetfunding. As of August 2024, all funds distributed to Manar’s family will now be shared amongst her extended family (40 people, incl. 15 children). 

How will you transfer them the money?

This depends on the family. Funds are typically wired to a family member outside of Gaza, as in-person registration to collect funds must occur in Cairo. This process is often facilitated by "service providers" (hawaladars) at a steep remittance fee. Money is then handed over to the family at the designated pick-up location. As of July 2024, we have been informed that since the Rafah tent massacre and the current relentless bombings, the commission rate has increased to 30% (previously 17% a few months ago), with additional fees due to low cash liquidity in Gaza.

Given these unconscionable high costs, we have chosen to avoid gofundme and similar fundraising platforms due to their profiteering fees and bureaucratic due diligence. Instead, we hope to directly wire families with as much of the donated amount as possible. Nonetheless, Stripe donations capture a processing fee of 1.7% + $0.30 per local transaction. To mitigate this, we also facilitate direct transfers via Beem, our preferred method, and accept cash donations.

All accounting details will be posted frequently via @rot.sh0p, including full transparency provided directly to the families we are supporting. 

I thought evacuations weren’t happening with the borders closed?

Correct, and we don’t know what the future evacuations look like yet. Some families require funds saved for future registration costs, others are using them now for sustenance. As a reminder, there is so much work–logistical, physical, psychological–that goes into the evacuations long after the money has been raised. We will continue to support the families’ immediate needs during this unknown purgatory time, and in the meantime, also divert a portion of the donations to community meals as the border remains closed.

Once we have chosen the recipient of our funds, whether it be an individual or a mutual-aid group, we always defer to them on how the money is used for their family and their people’s survival. We support any choice they make. Unequivocally.

Solidarity & rage,

rot shop

Updated: August 2024