"Wheelchair to Canvas: Gaza’s Ahmed Reimagines His Future with a Yellow Highlighter"

In the war-torn streets of Gaza, 9-year-old Ahmed’s world shattered when Israeli airstrikes reduced his home to rubble. A collapsing wall crushed his legs and fractured his skull, leaving him trapped beneath the debris for three agonizing days. Rescuers found him barely conscious, his small body covered in cuts and bruises.

Rushed to a crowded field hospital, Ahmed’s injuries were severe but not irreversible. Doctors stabilized his fractured skull and treated his crushed legs, which required weeks of intensive care. His mother, Fatima, never left his side, whispering prayers as she wiped his fevered brow. “You’re strong, my lion,” she murmured. “You’ll walk again.”

When volunteers from HOME SAVE HAVEN delivered a lightweight wheelchair to his bedside, Ahmed’s eyes lit up despite the pain. Though his legs were immobilized in casts, he learned to maneuver the chair with determined grit. One day, a volunteer handed him a yellow highlighter—the color of his favorite soccer jersey—and a sketchbook. Ahmed hesitated, then began drawing a boy kicking a ball, his legs bandaged but moving freely. “This is me… after I heal,” he said softly.

Ahmed’s journey is a story of survival against all odds. With your support, HOME SAVE HAVEN can provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation services, and tools for hope to children like him. Together, we can help them rebuild their bodies and their dreams.