From Gaza to Graduation: Support Widad’s Master’s – She Deserves a Future.

Be the Bridge That Carries Widad to Safety and Success..

Imagine being 23 years old, full of dreams, with a sharp mind and a clear path ahead — and then losing everything in a single night.

Widad, a bright and compassionate young woman from Gaza, once had it all mapped out & planned: earn her master’s degree, grow her career in business & marketing, and build a meaningful successful future.

But war doesn’t knock first. It destroys everything in its path.

Her home was bombed. Her university collapsed into dust. The certificates she earned with pride, the awards she collected over years of hard work, the precious things that reminded her who she is — all gone. In their place: rubble, silence, and grief.

But even after all this… Widad did not give up.

Despite trauma, displacement, hunger, and fear, she continues to work under some of the harshest conditions on earth. She applies to universities using unstable internet, writes scholarship essays during air raids, and keeps studying in between evacuations.

She doesn’t want luxury. She’s not asking for comfort.

She’s fighting for safety, for protection, and for the chance to finally breathe in peace.

I met Widad in 2022, during our Erasmus+ exchange at Sapienza University in Rome. From the very first day, there was something radiant about her. She was brilliant, thoughtful, and passionate about what she studied. But it wasn’t just her intelligence that stood out — it was her kindness, her warmth, and the way she lifted the people around her.

She was the only Palestinian girl chosen from her country that year — an incredible achievement on its own. For Palestinian students, the criteria to qualify are far more difficult than for us in Europe. Her selection was not just earned — it was fought for, with persistence and excellence.

She was social, open-hearted, and endlessly sweet — the kind of person who made you feel seen, even in a crowded room.

Now it’s time for us to make her feel seen.

Because someone who gave so much light to others deserves light in return.

Because someone who never stopped believing in herself shouldn’t have to give up on her dreams now.

Because Widad deserves what every young woman deserves — to be safe, to be free, and to be given a chance.

She deserves the chance to fulfill the big dreams she’s carried since she was a little girl — to achieve everything she drew for herself with hope in her heart, long before the bombs fell.

Why We’re Raising Funds for Her

Scholarships are few and hard to win. Most are already closed or won’t open for months — and when they do, they’re extremely limited and highly competitive. We’ve already tried applying for tuition waivers, but none were granted. Furthermore a sholarship or an acceptance by an university abroad is the only way out of Gaza.

Widad deserves a fair chance to study and be treated equally — not judged by the circumstances of war, but by her hard work and potential. But right now, she must cover everything on her own:

All of this, from a place with no high currency value and no economic stability.

This is more than expensive. For Widad, it’s nearly impossible — unless we help.

✋ Why Me? Why Now?

My name is Victor Vandenboosche. I’m from Belgium, now living in Spain. Widad and I met during our Erasmus+ exchange in Italy, and we’ve stayed close ever since.

Because of where she lives, Widad cannot access GoFundMe or receive funds directly. So I’m hosting this campaign in my name, using my personal bank account. I will transfer all donations to Widad and the university she will apply to, and share full proof of every transaction. This is the only legal way we can do this right now.

️ Help Her Rise From the Rubble

The world may seem far. But you are close enough to make a real difference.

Please — give what you can.

Even €5 helps. But if you can give more, know that you’re not just giving money — you’re giving someone their life back.

You’re giving a young woman the chance to live with dignity, to achieve her dreams, and to be free.

Let’s be the hands that lift Widad toward the future she’s always deserved.

Thank you — from my heart and hers.

— Victor

Article about Wedad's story:

https://www.wired.it/article/gaza-studentessa-universitaria-widad-erasmus-sapienza/