An online fundraising campaign launched by Deah Barakat one of three Muslim students murdered last month in the state of North Carolina has exceeded $510,000.
As a dental student, Deah Barakat launched the “Refugee Smiles” project last summer to provide dental care and help Syrian refugee children in Turkey and managed to raise about $15,000 on youcaring.com.
“Have you ever felt helpless for the situation in Syria and felt like you cannot do anything about it? Here is your opportunity to help. This summer, I am embarking on a trip to Turkey with 10 dentists to help Syrian refugee students who are in need of urgent dental care. We’ll be doing extractions, fillings, treat canals and all hygienic instructions to those most in need,” he said in a YouTube post.
Donations to Barakat’s project jumped to $300,000, only three days after being murdered along with his wife Yusor Mohammad and her sister Razan Mohammad, and on Wednesday contributions surpassed $510,000.
Barakat’s family and the Syrian-American Medical Society (or SAMS), which was a contributor to the project, come to a decision to convert the campaign into a foundation as donations have eclipsed its initial goal of $20,000.
“We are planning to expand the trip to help with refugee needs in addition to dentistry,” SAMS said in a statement. “The remaining funds not spent on the Syrian Dental Relief mission will go to support the ‘Our Three Winners Trust,’ which has been dedicated to Deah, Yusor, and Razans’ spirit of giving.”
“My brother was looking forward to going to Turkey this summer,” Faris Barakat, Deah’s older brother told the media.
“We won’t just help during one year and forget about these people,” he said. “We are strategizing, we are working, we are in talks and working with the United Muslim Relief and other organizations to help set up the logistics on the ground.”
He furthers that the Turkish government and various Turkish organizations have also be part of the cause to the project.