Mohawk and South Asian Women Unite to Support Gaza Families
Proceeds from local auctions will benefit The Sameer Project, which provides aid to displaced families in Gaza, and the Palestine Red Crescent Society. The initiative is a collaboration between women of Mohawk and South Asian heritage in the Brantford, Ontario, region.
A Personal Mission Amid Grief
While Aicha Smith-Belghaba supports her grandmother in palliative care, she continues to channel her energy into supporting those in Gaza. Smith-Belghaba, who is Mohawk and Algerian and resides in Six Nations of the Grand River, said that despite her personal pain, she feels thankful for the chance to help others.
“That’s a privilege people in Gaza often don’t have. Too many can’t hold funerals or bury loved ones in peace. I keep thinking, even in our pain here, we still have each other.”
Community Collaboration for Relief
Smith-Belghaba joined forces with Natasha Kurd of Brantford4Palestine to organize a fundraising auction aimed at feeding people in Gaza. Their collaboration began earlier this year and quickly turned into a shared humanitarian effort.
“This is simply the moment my capacity, our relationships, and the need in Gaza lined up,” she explained.
The online auction began on Friday and will continue through the weekend, with new items featured daily.
Context and Ongoing Crisis
In early October, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire intended to allow aid convoys into Gaza, two months after a UN-backed report confirmed famine conditions. However, relief organizations report that only limited assistance has actually entered the region.
Author’s Summary
Local Indigenous and South Asian women in Ontario collaborate to deliver humanitarian relief to Gaza, blending compassion with community-driven action to confront ongoing hardship.