The Refaat Alareer Camp x The Sameer Project

The Sameer Project, a mutual aid organization led by three Palestinians in the diaspora, are the proud directors and funders of three tent encampments in Central Gaza that provides shelter and specialized support to displaced families who have critical medical issues. Our first is called The Refaat Alareer Camp and since its opening in June 2024, we have subsiquently opened two more medical camps called Batool Camp and Sawarha Camp, both also in Central Gaza. 

**Due to the decrease in donation we had to close our Batool Camp at the beginning of July to save on land rent and maintenance and operational expenses in the camp. However, we relocated the camp residents to our Refaat Alareeer or Sawarha Camps based on their medical or humanitarian needs so that no family would be without a location for their tent and services.

A note about commission and fees that are reflected in our updates: From November till January, our fiscal host in the UK reduced their commission from 7% to 5% and our fiscal host in Gaza stayed at 4%, so you will notice 9% commission instead of our usual 11%. Starting in February, it went back up to 11% as 2% is now allocated for stipends for the team abroad. This commission is taken from the amount that arrives in our fiscal host's bank account - keep in mind if donating through Chuffed, it's free, tipping is optional, but the platform removes the Stripe processing fee from each donation.

Our encampments serve some of the most vulnerable families: those with "war injuries" or chronic diseases, adults with special needs and mobility issues, children with physical or mental disabilities, high risk perinatal and neonatal females, or families with extreme trauma or are in psychological distress. With this narrowed criteria, we are able to serve the most critical population with tailored services and facilities, to enhance their health, safety, prevent complications and further injury, as well as care for the children and adults that need special attention. In addition, our camp takes a burden off the over-stressed hospital system as we also take referrals from medical NGOs, relief organizations, as well as concerned volunteers, to accommodate the most urgent cases as they await medical evacuations out of Gaza by the World Health Organization. The Refaat Alareer Camp, Batook Camp, and Sawarha Camp are refuge for the critically injured or sick as we provide treatment, all medications needed, physiotherapy, mental health support, community activities, and foster an atmosphere of caring family. 

The camps are all in close proximity to a major medical complex, and we have our own onsite ambulance to transport emergency cases to a hosital. At our Refaat Alareer Camp and Sawarha Camp we also have our own medical clinics on the camp grounds to care for the children and adults with chronic illnesses, severe injuries, expecting and new mothers, trauma victims, and anyone with a health concern within the encampment (and in the surrounding area for Sawarha). Refaat Alareer Camp medical point serves the residents in both Refaat and Batool Camps and takes outside referrals, while Sawarha serves the camps and is open to the public. In addition to physical checkups of patients and oversight by camp nurses and rotating doctors, we also supply food deliveries for nourishment, a voucher coupon, water, and items like  diapers and formula to new mothers when stock is available, and mental health support in our one of a kind Virtual Reality therapy tent (led by our partners TechMed) to assist children in dealing with the unique and overwhelming horrors  that they face.

Our Hasan School, also onsite at the Refaat Alareer Camp, teached students from all three of our camps and the surrounding community. We have 15 tearchers, kindergarden through primary school, and a session for male students and female students 5 days per week. We offer drama classes, drawing and art therapy, boxing classes, and music classes to the students so everyone has a way to express themselves. At our Sawarha Camp, we offer a unique program, animal therapy - with three dogs, birds, and cats living at our camp and cared for by the children.

With your generous contributions, The Sameer Project built our camps from the ground up, providing: the lot of land we rent, water deliveries to refill tanks, waste disposal (built in sewage), showers with piping, fencing and a security gate, solar panels for electricity and internet, room for 140 large and high quality tents across all three camps, an activities tent at Refaat and Sawarha, a therapy tent run by TechMed proving mental health support at Refaat, a play and recreational area with a volleyball net at Refaat, a school, a physiotherapy tent, two medical points, and room to do even more! 

Once new residents are welcomed into our camps we care for all as if they were family. We have seen births, and a death, we have wished families farewell as they are evacuated, and we celebrated many’s return to the North. We have seen group Iftars and group prayers, outings for the children, and growing and learning experiences. There has been joy during out weekly music lessons held at the camp, and there has been fear like when we received evacuation orders and our brave staff led everyone to safety. Our goal is to provide normalcy, comfort, and love in an otherwise cruel and terrifying situation.

Finally, we would be remiss not to explain why The Sameer Project chose to name our first camp after a towering and symbolic figure in Gaza’s recent history. The martyr Refaat Alareer. With such gratitude, we thank the Alareer family for allowing us to pay tribute to Refaat, and we hope to honor his legacy by carrying out our mission of supporting the people of Gaza, to ensure the future of Gaza:

“You must live to tell my story.”

These were the words of Palestinian writer, professor, and activist Dr. Refaat Alareer in his prophetic poem “If I Must Die.” Many called Alareer “the voice of Gaza,” his fight was his ideas, his ammunition his words, his means of resistance his pen, as he described the juxtaposition of despair and hope in the tiny besieged enclave. He believed in the future of Gaza and fostered that future by giving the necessary tools to the younger generation to preserve their culture, heritage and frankly to survive under the constant threat of the occupation. If he must die, then “you must live.”

Refaat Alareer did died, murdered by the Israel occupation forces in December 2023. Targeted for what he represented to Gaza, and what he displayed to the world as a strong Palestinian intellect.

The Sameer Project is honored to name our first camp after the brilliant Refaat Alareer. Our mission is to serve the most vulnerable population, to give them hope, to give them a future, to preserve their lives. Like Dr. Alareer, The Sameer Project believes that hope for Gaza lies in the support we give to the younger generation, that is why our camp focuses on the health of newborn babies, medical care for sick children, and fostering their growth by providing them with an environment to thrive in: a play area used for finding joy, implementation of an education program, medical care, and a Virtual Reality assisted mental health and therapy tent, all on camp site. We hope to pay homage to Refaat by carrying on his legacy and supporting those that will save Gaza, see her flourish, and free Palestine.

Please be a part of serving and protecting families in Gaza. We thank you for your support.