My name is Sara Ghannam (Zena’s sister) and I help run, raise funds and awareness for Parishes for Peace charity in my local area of Weybridge.
I decided to give my time to help this charity for three reasons; firstly I speak Arabic so I could easily communicate with the refugees, secondly I was born in Basra, southern Iraq, so I understand their culture, and thirdly I wanted to help these forgotten families. It wasn’t about religion or being Iraqi so much but about humanity. The charity helps mainly Christian Iraqi families but also Muslim families that need support.
We are a small charity that works alongside our local church with our only aim being that of trying to help 34 Christian families who through no fault of their own have been displaced from their own war torn country to Jordon. There are so many charities around where money gets lost in the bureaucracy of it all but in our case 100% of what we raise goes to the families.
I have had the privilege of meeting these families and have been humbled by their resilience and forgiveness. I’ve visited Jordon twice in the past year and seen first hand the never ending obstacles and adversities that they come up against on a daily bases and yet their determination is never ending. They are enormously grateful for every penny we’ve given them through our fundraising charity; Parishes for Peace. Sadly, they are restricted on working as migrants in a Muslim country, but nonetheless they do any work that is presented to them.
Their hope is to be accepted by countries such as Australia and Canada but in the meantime they need to rebuild their lives, and part of our support, through our donations we’ve been able to provide them with laptops to help improve their English, help with medical costs, transportation for kids schooling as well as feminine vouchers.
Our aim is to help in whatever way we can, to at least give these families an opportunity to have a better life.
That you very much for supporting us.
