Fundraising for Zain Al Qalawi’s Education
Donation protected
My name is Zain Al Qalawi and I am from Jerusalem, Palestine, and I have recently received the very exciting news of having been accepted to the Computer Science Bachelor Program at Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. This is, to say the least, a magnificent opportunity that I have been granted to study what I am most passionate about in one of the top European schools in Computer Science. But in as much as I am joyed by this, I fear that I may be so close and yet so far from being able to fully enjoy it.
Attaining a university degree is a crucial step and building stone in a young adult’s life, and to me personally it is nothing less than the translation of my life-long aspirations. In today’s world, this crucial step is made all the more difficult and challenging due to the financial burden it poses on every family. This is perhaps even more so for Palestinians living in Jerusalem, who have a very limited number of opportunities when it comes to higher education; and it is almost despairing to think that I may be stopped from pursuing my passion, and working for a life full of success and happiness, due to the limitations placed upon me by my financial capability.
I am opening this GoFundMe campaign with hopes of receiving the needed support from friends, family, and peers that would allow me to pursue my undergraduate studies. If this campaign is successful, I will wholeheartedly commit myself to capitalizing on this opportunity, and to excelling at university, such that I may be aptly equipped to return and give back to my community and country. This opportunity will not only equip me with the technical and professional expertise, but will also contribute to further my potential of being an agent of positive change and impact. Upon completion of my education, I will return to support, educate, and inspire ambitious Palestinian youth to pursue their education in the fields of STEM, and to push them to seek every opportunity they can to grow, prosper, and return as agents of positive change.
I started my academic journey by joining MEET – Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, an MIT partnered program that introduced me to a collaborative, bi-national, innovative environment and there I discovered my passion for computer science. Alongside being a MEET student, I was selected to join the Kennedy Luger YES program – a full scholarship high school year in the US (2017-18). MEET’s profound educational impact inspired me to return and give back as a computer science teacher assistant for two terms. Now, and as a recent graduate of the International Baccalaureate, I have worked and studied in multi-cultural and diverse environments, filling positions such as Mission Week Leader for my school – through which I had the opportunity to hone and improve my leadership skills, as well as to grow as a well-rounded individual, academically and professionally. Additionally, much of my communication and negotiation skills were developed and advanced through involvement with the Model United Nations, where I was an MUN leader, Chair, and winner of awards for both Best and Outstanding Delegate. Beyond the confines of academia, I also discovered and pursued my artistic passions. Despite bullying I received from those around me, I was the first boy in my small community to join ballet, and my determination allowed me to graduate from my school’s dance department with performance experience as a choreographer and performer of modern and contemporary dance.
Throughout my journey, I have had the unwavering support of my family, but they simply cannot afford to support me financially in order to pursue the opportunities a university education can offer. Living in a household with a single working mother has its many challenges and limitations. My mother works three jobs to sustain our family, and considering where we live, that is nowhere near easy. I was only able to afford and flourish in my experiences through my perseverance, and with the support of scholarships that I had earned and received. Our financial situation is such that it simply cannot support me to pursue a university degree, and it certainly cannot support me to pursue and benefit from this magnificent opportunity that I now have at Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. My mother carried the world on her shoulders for us, and any form of support I may receive from you now, whether it is financial or through circulating and sharing this campaign, would help me to take that weight off of her shoulders, and begin to give back to her, my sister, and to everyone that has been a part of granting me the support and opportunities that have gotten me to where I am today.
Costs summary
Tuition 12,335 * 3 years = 37,005
Other necessary costs such as housing rent, living costs, books, flights, etc. for 3 years = 43,600 euros
Estimated total cost 80,605 euros == 90,475 USD
Attaining a university degree is a crucial step and building stone in a young adult’s life, and to me personally it is nothing less than the translation of my life-long aspirations. In today’s world, this crucial step is made all the more difficult and challenging due to the financial burden it poses on every family. This is perhaps even more so for Palestinians living in Jerusalem, who have a very limited number of opportunities when it comes to higher education; and it is almost despairing to think that I may be stopped from pursuing my passion, and working for a life full of success and happiness, due to the limitations placed upon me by my financial capability.
I am opening this GoFundMe campaign with hopes of receiving the needed support from friends, family, and peers that would allow me to pursue my undergraduate studies. If this campaign is successful, I will wholeheartedly commit myself to capitalizing on this opportunity, and to excelling at university, such that I may be aptly equipped to return and give back to my community and country. This opportunity will not only equip me with the technical and professional expertise, but will also contribute to further my potential of being an agent of positive change and impact. Upon completion of my education, I will return to support, educate, and inspire ambitious Palestinian youth to pursue their education in the fields of STEM, and to push them to seek every opportunity they can to grow, prosper, and return as agents of positive change.
I started my academic journey by joining MEET – Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, an MIT partnered program that introduced me to a collaborative, bi-national, innovative environment and there I discovered my passion for computer science. Alongside being a MEET student, I was selected to join the Kennedy Luger YES program – a full scholarship high school year in the US (2017-18). MEET’s profound educational impact inspired me to return and give back as a computer science teacher assistant for two terms. Now, and as a recent graduate of the International Baccalaureate, I have worked and studied in multi-cultural and diverse environments, filling positions such as Mission Week Leader for my school – through which I had the opportunity to hone and improve my leadership skills, as well as to grow as a well-rounded individual, academically and professionally. Additionally, much of my communication and negotiation skills were developed and advanced through involvement with the Model United Nations, where I was an MUN leader, Chair, and winner of awards for both Best and Outstanding Delegate. Beyond the confines of academia, I also discovered and pursued my artistic passions. Despite bullying I received from those around me, I was the first boy in my small community to join ballet, and my determination allowed me to graduate from my school’s dance department with performance experience as a choreographer and performer of modern and contemporary dance.
Throughout my journey, I have had the unwavering support of my family, but they simply cannot afford to support me financially in order to pursue the opportunities a university education can offer. Living in a household with a single working mother has its many challenges and limitations. My mother works three jobs to sustain our family, and considering where we live, that is nowhere near easy. I was only able to afford and flourish in my experiences through my perseverance, and with the support of scholarships that I had earned and received. Our financial situation is such that it simply cannot support me to pursue a university degree, and it certainly cannot support me to pursue and benefit from this magnificent opportunity that I now have at Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. My mother carried the world on her shoulders for us, and any form of support I may receive from you now, whether it is financial or through circulating and sharing this campaign, would help me to take that weight off of her shoulders, and begin to give back to her, my sister, and to everyone that has been a part of granting me the support and opportunities that have gotten me to where I am today.
Costs summary
Tuition 12,335 * 3 years = 37,005
Other necessary costs such as housing rent, living costs, books, flights, etc. for 3 years = 43,600 euros
Estimated total cost 80,605 euros == 90,475 USD
Co-organizers (2)
Kimberly Hope
Organizer
Ames, IA
Zain Al Qalawi
Co-organizer