Gaza Teen Ammar Al-Kahwaji Shares Sumud Project Survival Story
August 22, 2026
In this teaser from my latest episode of Real Talk, I speak with Ammar Al-Kahwaji, the 19-year-old founder of the Sumud Project, joining me from Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Ammar has been displaced eight times since October 7. His home, school and community in Bani Suheila were destroyed, and he now lives with his family in a tent in Al-Mawasi.
Yet despite everything, he continues working to help families across Gaza.
Since launching the Sumud Project in May 2025, Ammar says he has completed 49 humanitarian initiatives, providing food, water, clothing, tents and emergency support, while also supporting schools, kindergartens and children.
A central part of our conversation is the story of James “Jim” Chambers, an American donor currently detained in Spain following a U.S. extradition request.
Ammar shares how he first connected with Jim, how a $10,000 donation helped provide 50 meals a day for 10 consecutive days during Ramadan, supporting 500 families, and what the loss of that support now means for Sumud and other humanitarian initiatives.
But this conversation is about much more than one donor.
It is about displacement, survival, humanitarian work, loss and resilience.
And it is about a 19-year-old whose dream is remarkably simple:
To live in peace.
To have a home.
To see his family safe.
And to live without fear.
Watch the full episode of Real Talk on YouTube — link in my bio.
If you would like to support the Sumud Project, Ammar says the donation and PayPal links are available through the project’s bio. Sharing the project and helping raise awareness can also help it reach more people.
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