Sana Nawal and Hannah Alwaneh want to celebrate local businesses in Wagga for a good cause. Photo: Erin Hee.
Two Year 11 students from The Riverina Anglican College (TRAC) were having a yarn with their friends when it hit them: there were kids their age suffering in the war-torn Gaza strip.
Hannah Alwaneh and Sana Nawal, along with some classmates, plan to organise a food and music festival at the Riverside Precinct to raise funds for humanitarian aid for those in Gaza as part of their International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
They are calling it the GAP (Gaza aid project) festival and it is scheduled for Saturday 23 August.
Israel launched military action in Gaza in response to a terrorist attack by the Palestinian militia group Hamas in 2022. The conflict has since divided the world. An estimated 62,000 people have been killed.
Rather than making this event about politics, Hannah and Sana want to celebrate local businesses as part of their fundraising efforts.
“My friend’s Palestinian, so it kind of sparked this conversation,” Sana said.
“Coming from an ethnic background, I’ve also seen a lot of these conflicts as well, and we just kind of sat down and talked about how all these children are suffering.
“How they were just kids our age, and we wanted to try and help as much as we could.”
Hannah’s mother Leena could not be more proud of the girls for taking up such an initiative.
“It’s so good to see teenagers [aged 16 and 17] go out and do stuff like this,” she said.
Hannah and Sana want to highlight that this event is strictly non-political.
“We want to make it clear that this event is not about governments or politics,” Hannah said. “It is purely about helping people in need and showing support where it matters most.
“This festival is only the beginning. We are working towards creating youth-led workshops that focus on reconnecting with empathy and awareness.
“With technology constantly in our faces, many young people are becoming desensitised to the reality of what others go through.
“These workshops will aim to inspire, educate and remind people that you can still care, still feel, and still make a difference.”
Hannah and Sana are seeking support from sponsors, small businesses and performers to make their festival a success.
“We seem to have quite a fair bit of food, so we’re mainly just trying to get people to come, and we’re looking for sponsors and performers and people just to show up,” Sana said.
The festival will help support a cause that is close to their heart.
“Seeing people our age going through such horrific experiences has really affected us. It has motivated us to act, to raise awareness, and to show that young people can care and can create change,” they said.
“This festival is our way of standing in solidarity with those who are suffering and letting them know they are not forgotten.
“So come along, bring your family, have fun and help us show that even from a small town, we can stand up for humanity.”
Hannah and Sana want to make it clear that this event is purely about supporting local businesses and helping people in need. It is strictly non-political. Entry is free and small business owners are encouraged to set up shop at the festival. Photo: Supplied.
The Gaza Aid Project Festival will run from 2:30 to 9 pm on 23 August at Wagga Beach. Entry is free and more information can be found on its website or Instagram. All proceeds will go directly to NSW-based non-profit organisation Muslims Around The World Project.
