Palestinian, from مدينة غزة; seeking Undergraduate degree in Doctor of medicine and is enrolled at Islamic University of Gaza.
I am Raghad Syam, a 20-year-old Palestinian from Gaza. I am a second-year medical school student. I lived with my family in Gaza my entire life. Although we have endured several wars, the 2023 war was unlike any before. Our home was destroyed; we were displaced around 10 or 11 times.
The war heavily impacted my education. My university and the Faculty of Medicine building were bombed. We lost six months of schooling. Eventually, we resumed learning online, and I am committed to continuing no matter what.
Our daily life became a struggle, cooking over open fires, washing clothes by hand, and carrying water from storage tanks. Electricity and the internet are no longer stable at home; I walk long distances just to find a café or workspace to charge my phone and attend online exams. These are all new responsibilities we’ve had to take on.
The fact that I survived to tell my story is of itself a miracle. I realize how fortunate I am to be still alive.
What keeps me going is hope for my future and my community. The loss of so many healthcare workers has strengthened my determination to become a doctor who can help care for my community and support the rebuilding of our healthcare system.
Why Would Donors Fund You?
I want to become a doctor to lead medical research that finds real solutions for patients like my cousin, for whom doctors have found no solution or cure, so she has adapted to the disease in order to continue living. With this support, I will focus on my education, not on survival. I aim to build a future where science serves people, and where doctors, not machines alone, lead the way to healing.
How Do You Plan to Payback?
Promoted by a desire to save lives and pass on knowledge I plan to:
- Establish a fund to cover the cost of surgery for needy patients.
- Mentor future medical students through training programs.
- Join humanitarian medical teams
- Provide care for war victims,
- Launch mobile clinics to reach people in remote areas.
Volunteer Work/Social Capital
- Visited orphanages and elderly homes to organize activities.
- Participated in a breast cancer awareness campaign at university.
- Taught children and helped them memorize the Qur’an during the war.
- Volunteered at Nasser Hospital by checking blood pressure and drawing blood.
What Have You Done to Improve Yourself? Awards and Achievements
I’ve participated in several competitions and workshops outside school.
- I won first place in a math competition at the governorate level and completed a first aid course.
- I also joined an electronics workshop at the Qattan Center, where we created small projects to solve everyday problems.
- I earned certificates in first aid and English language proficiency.
- I was part of my school’s basketball team and received awards from both my school and university for my academic achievements.
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