My name is Lian, and I am a high school student in Gaza.

Before the war, I lived a life full of joy and ambition. I was a diligent student with dreams of continuing my education and building a meaningful future.

By now, I should have been in my second year of university, pursuing my dreams like many other girls my age. But instead, I remain a Tawjihi student, the final year of high school. I lost two precious years of my life to war, displacement, and pain, years that were meant to shape my future.

The war has taken so much from me. I lost my father before my very eyes, I watched him bleed to death while I stood helpless, losing not only him but also a part of my soul.

I lost my grandparents, who once gave me warmth and wisdom. I lost my little nephews, whose laughter used to bring joy to our home. With each loss, I lost a piece of myself, my childhood, my innocence, my health. I became weaker, thinner, and weighed down by grief and the burden of survival.

Displacement has made everything harder.

We were forced to flee our home, moving from place to place with nothing but what we could carry.

There is no safety, no stability, and the cost of basic needs like food, medicine, and rent has become unbearable.

My family can no longer manage on their own.

I now live with my mother and little brother.

We have no provider.

My mother is broken by grief, and my younger brother l, who should be playing and learning faces a future full of uncertainty. Every day, I fight not just to survive, but to keep the light of education alive within me.

Even my dog, our only companion, is suffering deeply. Constant displacement, noise, fear, and hunger have left him anxious and traumatized. He won’t stop barking unless I’m beside him. I long to provide him with the most basic care, even just his dry food, so I can feel I’m doing something for him amid all this loss.

Still, I refuse to give up. I dream of continuing my education, supporting my family, and rebuilding a life with dignity and hope. But I cannot do it alone.

Your support will help me:

- Provide for my grieving mother and young brother,

- Cover the unbearable costs of rent, food, and daily needs during our displacement,

- Pay for my education so I don’t lose more years of my life,

- Care for my dog, who is also a victim of this war,

- Restore a sense of stability and hope for what’s left of my family.

Every contribution, no matter how small, is a light in the darkness. Your kindness can open a door to hope a chance to survive, to dream, and to feel human again.

I invite you to be part of my story, to help me reclaim what war and displacement have stolen. With your support, I can stand again for myself, my family, and for a future I still believe in.

Lian