A Journey for Justice: Naima’s Mission for Palestine
When I met Naima, I didn’t expect to be so deeply moved by her story. Her life is a powerful tapestry of faith, compassion, and resilience, woven together by her unwavering dedication to the people of Palestine. Sitting across from her, I could feel the quiet strength of a woman who has given up comfort and stability for something far greater than herself.
Naima was born in England, near Birmingham, to a family with deep British roots. In January 2017, her life took a transformative turn when she embraced Islam. Influenced by her sister and cousin, her conversion opened her heart to new values of empathy, charity, and purpose. “It was like waking up,” she told me. “Suddenly, I saw the world differently, I wanted to live for something meaningful.”
That desire for meaning led her to learn about global issues, especially the suffering of people in Syria and Palestine. Through TikTok, Naima came across a live stream hosted by a young man named Rayan from northern Gaza, a man displaced by war yet still feeding his community. “He had nothing, yet he gave everything,” she said. His courage inspired her to begin raising awareness and funds for Palestinians online.
But Naima’s empathy went far beyond the screen. She wanted to understand, even in a small way, what life felt like for those who had lost everything. So she gave up her home and began living in a tent in the English countryside. “I needed to feel a small piece of their struggle,” she said quietly. Life in the tent was far from easy, with long walks for food, freezing nights, and no electricity. Yet it became a period of deep spiritual growth. “I learned how fragile we are without the things we take for granted,” she reflected. “But I also learned how strong faith can make you.”
When the campsite closed, Naima moved into her car, what she jokingly called “a mobile home for a mobile heart.” Living off-grid allowed her to travel, explore nature, and continue spreading awareness about Palestine. “It brought me closer to God,” she said. “I’d wake up to the sound of birds, pray, and feel peace, something money could never buy.” She found kindness in unexpected places. “Non-Muslim campers and locals showed me so much compassion,” she said. “They didn’t always understand my choices, but they respected them.” Her family, especially her mother and sister, stayed quietly supportive, even when others thought she was “crazy.” Naima simply smiled, “Maybe you have to be a little crazy to follow your purpose.”
Out of these experiences, Camp Islam was born, a charitable initiative she founded to help families in Palestine and Syria with food, medicine, and shelter. She has raised just over £800, with the dream of reaching £1,000 a week to support 10 families, including the orphanage. Through TikTok, Naima connected with families like Imad and his brother Yusuf, displaced and struggling to buy medicine for Yusuf’s son, Jude. She raised enough to help Jude and continued supporting others in similar need. Her compassion extended beyond the Middle East, to an orphanage in Uganda and a struggling family in Nigeria. “It’s emotionally heavy,” she admitted. “But even a small act of kindness can ripple far.”
During her humanitarian work, Naima’s path crossed again with Imad, the man from Gaza whose sincerity and resilience had touched her heart. What began as mutual respect blossomed into love, and Naima made the brave decision to marry him despite the distance and uncertainty. “It wasn’t a decision of logic,” she said softly. “It was a decision of the heart.”
Today, Naima lives simply, staying connected to Gaza through her husband’s updates and the news. “Innocent people deserve to live, to dream, to have peace,” she said. Her faith has taught her to see humanity before politics, to act with love, mercy, and purpose.
Now, as Naima continues her journey living in her car, her mission has taken on a new urgency. She is searching for a country that will offer safe refuge for her family through medical evacuation, to support her 4-year-old stepdaughter, Jouri, who suffers from Bartter Syndrome, Nephrocalcinosis, and kidney stones. With medical resources in Gaza collapsing, Jouri urgently needs treatment elsewhere. Naima is preparing to travel through Europe, beginning with Ireland next week, to speak with embassies in the hope of securing help. At the same time, she is working to raise enough money so that, if a country agrees to accept them, she can bring her family to safety. It is the next chapter of her sacrifice, her faith, and her unwavering love, another candle lit in the darkness.
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Naima shows the inner beauty, kindness and acts selflessness. After reading this article makes me feel yes I can also make a difference; the smallest acts of kindness go along away. We all forget hardship whilst we have our needs met on a daily basis. Thank you Naima for being so special x