URGENT: Charity for abuashraf?

[Muazzam]

I think 8000 euro is not much money.

It depends on the context.

8000 euros for buying a house is not much money.
8000 euros for buying a chocolate bar is a lot of money.

I am saying that 8000 euros is not much money for donation.

[xenos]

It also depends on where you live. Here in Estonia 8000€ is a huge amount of money and most people need to work for years to get that much. In Norway, for example, it's much different.

[Solar]

Let's just say that, while I net well over 2000 Euros a month, I also pay over 1000 Euros a month for mortgages and various loans... If that weren't the case, I'd probably just have said "to hell with it!" and shared the amount with Andreas. But his situation is similar...

(Right now I feel somewhat guilty for all the money I did put into that gaming rig a couple of months ago...)

I'll re-translate the website to German, and on Monday, post the link on our company intranet. Most people in the department still know Andreas, and they know me, so that might also turn up something.

[Love4Boobies]

It's true that these Web sites charge a potentially big fee but they also expose you to a lot more potential donors. Did you try coming up with some data to see what is more likely to work? Perhaps you could even do it both ways (for the audience you have now and for anyone else on those Web sites).

[xyjamepa]

Hi,

First, I would like to thank Solar for creating this thread, and of course for his great interest in helping me and for introducing me to his kind friend (Andreas), so thank you Martin, Thank you very much, without your kind help I wouldn't be able to at even dream about having a future after all what happened in Syria.
Also I want to make a BIG massive thanks to Andreas, such a great kind man, Thank you Andreas, you generous offer gave me hope and brought me back to life.
And of course thanks to the mods here who accepted this thread.

Guys, I don't know what to say, I'm speechless, and I don't want to talk about politics, but if anyone interested to know more about what's happening in Syria (from my point of view) can PM me.

Thanks to anyone who shows interest and compassion, I really wish none of you be in such a messed up difficult situation, enjoy your life. and of course if you could help in sending the donation link to your interested friends that would be great.

Thank you all.

[Jezze]

What happens over there is really terrible. I wish you luck and I hope my small donation will help you reach the goal.

[Solar]

I just received word from someone who's been following OSDev for a long time, without actually ever posting here -- quoting hostility towards less-than-perfect English as the reason.

This kind gentleman has just donated 500 Euros.

I am actually shedding a tear, here. This is what restores your faith in humanity.

Thank you.

[Solar]

Damn. Damn, damn, damn.

Apparently we have been much too relaxed in our communication.

The subject of our charity just told me that the combination of name, city, and subject of studies is so unambiguous that his family is at risk.

(Details withheld to avoid further identification, but there is real danger to life and limb involved here.)

I've removed all notice of his subject of study, his real name (calling him "Mohammed" instead, that should be ambiguous enough), and other items allowing identification (including links to this site) from the charity website.

Please, admins, could you have a look over this thread and the one linked in the top post, and blacken out relevant parts? (Update: The admins have done so with great speed, many thanks to all involved!)

I'm about to aim local newspaper awareness at the charity website, and we needn't make things easier for snoopers than need be...

[sortie]

Solar: The ministry of truth have now appropriately corrected the past. If you see any further reality malfunctions, report them.

I have now now donated €80. That's 1% and judging from your progress report, should bring us up to 10%.

[xyjamepa]

Hi,

Thank you Solar for keeping me in your mind, and for trying to sort my things out, You are doing great job, it must be a hug time-consuming task, so Thanks a lot.

Thanks for every person supporting me, with donation or without donation, I really appreciate it.
Thanks to the Kind generous person who donated 500 Euro. Thank you sortie, thank you very much.

Thanks to all of you guys, I wish you all the very best.
Wow, having all of this support really creates such a warm feeling mixed with hope.

[Combuster]

I am saying that 8000 euros is not much money for donation.

That's still more than what I have in all savings together.

Regardless, you owe me a drink now. I'll be just one border away if this works out .

[Solar]

Before anyone asks, I had to re-shuffle the account updates -- from "date of notification" (i.e. getting a mail from either the donator or PayPal) to "booking date" (actually seeing the green numbers on my account balance).

The former was better to give early feedback on your great support, but I couldn't keep this up as it quickly became too confusing.

BTW, all donations currently listed (over 1100 Euros in total) have been from the OSDev community.



I've just gotten clearance to post a link on our company's intranet, so there might be non-OSDev donations coming in. A newspaper article is also a possibility I am working on.

Feel free to spread the word. We've got some way to go until we hit eight thousand, and Andreas has come up with the first stretch goals.

[Solar]

Update

"Mohammed" is out of Syria!

Sorry for the long time without any updates, but while there were a lot of phone calls and arrangements being made, there was little reportable progress.

Now, things have happened very quickly. "Mohammed" has crossed the border into Turkey, and has made contact with the German embassy.

As is to be expected, there is more red tape to be cut. Moreover, local authorities turn out to have quite an attitude towards refugees (of which there are many). Not having a passport does not really help either, but we hope that he will set foot on German ground by May.

While the university in Germany has extended its invitation, and there are organisations that have pledged to support "Mohammed" once he is here, right now he is living in the cheapest accomodations he could find, hoping that what is left of his funds will see him through the weeks to come.

I will keep you updated.

[Jezze]

I was actually thinking about this just the other day. Thank you for the update!

[TverrBjelke]

Dear Folks,
now it has been alonglongtime (TM). Some (no-)news flash from this all.

Here is the short summary: He still is not studying in Germany (nor has he arrived), but he is alive and doing well.
All formalities are done long ago (I did a lot of this part), "Mohammed" sits like a very very overdue duck in the stove, just waiting since months for his visa - at least safely (and legally) inside Turkey.
But the plan still stays up, and chances are realistically high that he finally and actually CAN upgrade his bachelor to master degree in Germany.

Reading this, I feel mighty plenty of anger boiling up my stomach. Wondering that this drama can be summarized in this few sentences. There is so much of of adventure and struggle and roller coaster ... and so many many small steps done.

Believe me: For "Mohammed" it is quite mentally exhausting, only just to do "the every day check" of e-mails, waiting for THE one, (or the rejection) and not simply give up all hope and drown (I also helped him here ). So please forgive him not to keep you updated by himself.

"Mohammed" currently is going to be offline for some days. Actually he is very OK with me sending some details to his fellow nerds here.
So I will send you all a nice longer post asap.

Cherio,
tverrbjelke