My name is Karam. I’m a 21-year-old graduate nurse from Gaza, and over the past few years, I have been working toward a dream that often felt impossible: continuing my education and building a future in healthcare.

I studied Nursing at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, one of Gaza’s leading medical universities, and completed my academic studies with an overall average of 83%.

But my story is about more than university.

Over the past year, I started sharing my daily life in Gaza through social media. I wanted people around the world to see another side of life here — not only destruction and hardship, but also the people who continue to dream, exercise, learn, laugh, and support each other despite everything happening around them.

Running became a huge part of that.

I started running through the streets of Gaza and eventually began running with groups of people in my community. I also spent time swimming with children and helping them learn how to swim, trying to create small moments of happiness and normal life in circumstances that are anything but normal.

What started as simply documenting my life gradually reached people around the world.

People from London, New York, and many other places began following my journey. Through my content, I have tried to show that even when so much around you is uncertain, you can still wake up every morning and keep moving toward something better.

Now, I have an opportunity to take the next step in my own journey.

My goal is to continue my education in the United Kingdom and pursue postgraduate study at the University of Leicester. I hope to build on my background in nursing and develop the knowledge and skills that will allow me to make a greater contribution to healthcare and to my community in the future.

For someone living in Gaza, however, reaching this opportunity involves costs that I cannot cover alone.

I am raising approximately £26,000 to help cover the costs associated with making this possible, including approximately £11,000 toward my university costs and approximately £15,000 toward living expenses while studying in the UK.

This support would give me the chance to leave Gaza to continue my education and turn years of studying, working, and dreaming into a real future.

For me, this is much more than earning another degree.

It is the opportunity to continue my education, grow professionally, experience life and healthcare beyond Gaza, and eventually use what I learn to help others.

Over the past year, I have tried to remind people through my videos that circumstances do not have to completely define what we dream about.

I have run when there was barely anywhere safe to run.

I have swum when life around us was uncertain.

I have continued studying and working toward my future even when that future felt impossible to imagine.

And now, I am asking for help taking the next step.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings me closer to continuing my education. And if you cannot donate, sharing this campaign with others would mean just as much to me.

Thank you for believing in my journey and for helping me turn this opportunity into something real.

With love and gratitude,

Karam

Graduate Nurse from Gaza

Instagram: @karamdayinthelife