Help a Gazan Aid Worker Rebuild his Community thru Education

This is my dear friend of a decade, Ahmed, a humanitarian worker who’s dedicated the past several years of his life to the protection of women and children in Gaza. While serving his community amongst the ongoing tragedy, he applied and was accepted to the International Development with Conflict & Humanitarian Action Master’s degree program at University of Bath in the UK.

Submitting this application was a nearly impossible task. He worked on through several displacements, lack of electricity and heavy bombing. Internet was scarce, forcing him to climb onto rooftops to send essays over Whatsapp to his brother in Egypt to submit online. But he persevered, not only because of his resourcefulness and resilience but also because of his commitment to one day rebuild Gaza into the vibrant community he knows it can return to.

Months later, he has thankfully been evacuated to Egypt but his eyes are still set on continuing his education and the work he has dedicated his life to. He was a hair's breadth from receiving a full-ride scholarship to his dream program but just recently heard back that, while close, he would not be granted this opportunity.

We refuse for this to be the end of his story. This GoFundMe is for the express purpose of raising funds to pay for his tuition and housing for the one-year program. With no home to return to and an uncertain future in a country that will take years to rebuild, I cannot stress enough the importance of this educational opportunity for Ahmed. An investment into his life has the potential to impact thousands.

We still need $45K to make grad school a reality for him.

Here’s the breakdown:

Tuition = £26,500

Housing = host family

Living Expenses = £10,000 [12 months]

Visa & Travel Costs = secured through sponsorship from Leonard Education Organization (LE.O)

Global Leader Scholarship [UB] = £5,000

£31,500 = total needed [approx. $42K USD]

At 25 years old, Ahmed has witnessed more violence and death than most of us will ever know in a lifetime. He’s lost family, security, and most of his worldly possessions. In all of this, he turns to what cannot be taken from him; his education and impact. The 5 months he spent in Gaza were in the thralls of humanitarian aid work. He coordinated the distribution of food and aid packages, secured shelter, and provided enrichment and trauma therapy programs for children. He led an initiative that spearheaded the construction of 23 portable bathrooms in Rafah and continues this work remotely as well.

His long-term vision is to become a global advocate in the international humanitarian arena, establishing policies that promote stability, sustainable development, and peace, not only in Palestine but wherever the need is greatest. An investment in Ahmed’s education is not only an investment in the life of a young Gazan, it is an investment in the rebuilding of Gaza and the betterment of our world as a whole. Time is of the essence as we only have a month to raise these funds to help Ahmed on his path. Thank you for taking the time to read this story and we appreciate all who choose to be a piece of the change we need to see.