Scholarship interrupted:Be the Reason Gawhara Keeps learning

My name is Gawhara Madkour. I am a researcher and lawyer, and for the past eight years, I have dedicated my life to supporting minoritized communities. My academic journey was set to continue with a scholarship for the Arab Master’s Programme in Democracy and Human Rights (ARMA) at Université Saint-Joseph (USJ). But then, war intervened. The Israeli assault on Lebanon delayed my studies by a year, and with that delay, I lost my scholarship. The Trump administration’s broader cuts to regional funding further narrowed opportunities for students like me.

I am a 26-year-old Egyptian who left home because life there became unbearable. I cannot fully explain why, but leaving was not a choice—it was survival. I came to Lebanon hoping to rebuild my life while staying connected to the struggles of my home and the wider SWANA region. I believe in the pessimism of the mind, optimism of the will—that even when reality feels bleak, we must find the strength to push forward.

Every skill I have today, I built through hands-on experience, learning from peers, mentors, and colleagues. In Egypt, restrictive academic institutions made seeking higher studies in such intellectually monopolized fields impossible.

Now, my program is set to begin in seven months, and I am still registered. But I need to raise 8,000 Euros to make it happen. I am at a crossroads: this degree will not only help me refine my work, but it is also my best chance to fully establish myself in Lebanon, where I hope to build a future.

How You Can Help:

This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do—asking for help for myself. But I know I cannot do this alone. If you can contribute, in any amount, you will not just be funding my education; you will be giving me a chance to keep fighting, keep learning, and keep helping others. If you can’t donate, sharing this campaign would mean the world to me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thank you for believing in me.