WHAT IS API?

The Ayla Project International (API) is a nonpolitical humanitarian organization born in the Fall of 2023 in response to the Middle East crisis. API is envisioned to eventually expand beyond the Middle East to serve families in areas of conflict around the world. “Ayla” means “resilient” in Scottish, “light around the moon” in Turkish, “oak tree” in Hebrew, and “family” (Ayala) in Arabic.

In December 2023, Islandia Firm International Executive Director Tara Britton, learned about the plight of a three-year old girl named Lulu in the conflict zone in the Middle East from her friend Cari. With the outbreak of war, Lulu’s congenital cardiac condition deteriorated rapidly, and her life was in imminent danger.

Tara Britton, Rula Khoury and Cari Conklin-Larsen formed a volunteer team to assist Lulu and her family along with Tara's Cambridge classmate and former representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Following two months of work and closed doors, even from the ICRC, the team successfully evacuated Lulu, along with her mother and her 5 and 6-year-old brother and sister, from Rafah to Al Nas Children’s Hospital in Egypt at the end of January 2024 in a climactic event that could only be described as Hollywood movie worthy. This was the genesis of the Ayla Project.

The Ayla Project team assists in the stabilization, evacuation and relocation of women, children and families, many of them with critical medical needs, to places of safety. The project also addresses refugee family needs holistically for sustainable resettlement. We exercise a flexible, adaptable approach, meeting the needs of each family where they are at. 

SCHOOL FOR A YEAR 

While Lulu is not old enough to be in school, Mona and Ez Al Din, at ages 6 1/2 and 5, are. As Palestinians, the children are considered stateless and ineligible to attend Egyptian state schools. The family expects to stay in Egypt for at least another year, so that Lulu can recover from the extensive heart surgery that she is scheduled to undergo on her 4 th birthday, 1/31/2025. The cost of putting Mona and Ez Al Din in a private international school would be $3,000 for Mona and $1,500 for Ez for a year, including tuition, uniforms, books, stationery and transportation. The academic year begins in August of 2024. 

Total Cost: $4,500 *now funded by a Cambridge donor as of May 31st, 2024

MEDICAL NEEDS FOR LULU’S GRANDPARENTS, SIDHO AND TATA 

The absence of fresh produce and drinkable water caused both of Lulu’s grandparents, who are now also living in the Cairo apartment with the family, to develop severe urinary tract infections. Long-term interruption of each of their medications for previously diagnosed congenital heart issues have resulted in their high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

The grandmother also received a surprising diagnosis of Adult Glaucoma. The debilitating stress factors associated with living in a war zone without her blood pressure medication contributed to a rise in intraocular pressure causing damage to her optic nerve, resulting in the build-up of fluid in both of her eyes. This fluid needs to be drained to relieve the pressure. If left untreated, there is a risk of blindness. 

Total Cost: $4,000 for prescriptions for 10 months + procedure cost

FINISHING BABY SALMA’S CAMPAIGN 

A-Team members were also able to visit with the second family we evacuated, Baby Salma, her mother and sister at Al Nas Hospital, and to give essentials such as toiletries, shoes and clothes to them personally. The hospital has housed the family for the first 3 months of their stay, and they now need to find an apartment, so we have a campaign to support their rent, food and utilities for another 9 months. 

As of May 21st, 2023, $13,000 of $20,000 has been raised

This includes $5,000 from a major donor, $2,000 from the hospital contribution, and $6,000 from individual donors, leaving a remaining need of $7,500 to support this family’s immediate needs and living costs for a year. 

Total Remaining Need: $7,500

You can read Baby Salma’s story by clicking on her picture here:

DENTAL SURGERY FOR LULU 

Lulu required a complicated dental surgery where the doctors put her to sleep under anesthesia. Because she is a heart patient, the cardiologist needed to be present to monitor her condition. While this surgery would normally cost up to $10,000, the surgeon donated her time at no cost, and used the highest quality materials and medical supplies at no cost to Lulu’s family. The only cost is the cost of the anesthesiologist, which is $400. 

Total Cost: $10,000

Contributed To-Date: $9,600 (from the surgical and medical supply donation) 

Remaining Need: $400 

The total remaining need for the three projects is approximately $4,000 for Sidho and Tata’s (Lulu’s grandparent’s medical care + $7,000 for Salma’s family + $400 for the dental procedure anesthesia = $11,400. 

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HORIZONS

Horizons International (also serving refugees) is a strategic partner of the Ayla Project and is now receiving tax-deductible contributions toward the project, with a low 5% administrative fee. Islandia Firm International has stepped in to provide pro-bono strategic, administrative and development support for the project.