At just 18 years old, Malak is holding fast to the defining ambition of her youth: to become a doctor. Today, however, that ambition is being pursued from inside a worn canvas tent in Gaza, a far cry from the secure concrete home her family once occupied before it was reduced to rubble by the ongoing crisis. Living alongside her mother and her two brothers, Uday and Atef, Malak navigates a daily existence defined by uncertainty, hardship, and profound resilience. Yet, despite the immense obstacles stacked against her, she remains fiercely determined to continue her education and forge a future where she can heal others.
The journey to medical school under current conditions is an extraordinary feat of endurance. Despite the relentless displacement, systemic disruptions, and psychological toll of the conflict, Malak completed her high school education with an impressive score of 96%. Following this academic milestone, she made the decisive step toward her lifelong aspiration by enrolling in university to study medicine. For years, she had envisioned walking hospital corridors in a white coat to treat the sick; achieving high marks was the first critical hurdle in turning that childhood dream into reality.
Continuing those studies, however, has proven to be an uphill battle that tests the limits of her resolve. The physical infrastructure of education in Gaza has been severely compromised, with numerous universities and educational facilities suffering structural damage or total destruction during the hostilities. As a result, much of the academic instruction has transitioned to online platforms. For Malak, this digital pivot introduces daunting logistical barriers. Reliable internet access is scarce and erratic, and she urgently requires a personal laptop to attend virtual lectures, access course materials, and complete her assignments.
Compounding these technological hurdles are severe financial constraints. University tuition fees present a monumental barrier that her family simply cannot surmount on their own. Without external financial backing, the continuation of her education remains precariously balanced.
Studying While Living with Pain
Malak’s daily struggle is not only academic and economic; she is also bearing the heavy burden of a serious physical injury. During the conflict, she was shot, and the bullet remains dangerously lodged in her abdomen. Navigating the physical agony of this unremoved projectile requires ongoing medical check-ups. However, definitive surgery to remove the bullet is currently unavailable to her due to Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system, which has been pushed past its breaking point by relentless strain, supply shortages, and infrastructure damage.
Despite living with chronic pain and the constant threat of medical complications, Malak refuses to let her circumstances derail her education or her responsibilities to her household. Within the confines of their temporary shelter, she actively assists her mother with everyday domestic chores, including cooking, cleaning, and washing. Her mother works tirelessly in a small, local bakery to support the family, but the meager wages she earns fall woefully short of covering their most basic, day-to-day survival needs.
Life After Losing Their Home
Before the crisis shattered their lives, Malak and her family lived in a sturdy concrete house that offered safety and shelter from the elements. That home is now gone, replaced by a weathered tent that provides minimal protection against the biting cold of winter, the oppressive heat of summer, or heavy downpours. The family’s daily existence is a constant inventory of deprivation, lacking many of the fundamental necessities required to live with dignity and safety.
To weather the harsh conditions, the family desperately requires basic items, including a structurally stronger tent, waterproof coverings to keep out rain and wind, mattresses, blankets, cooking equipment, cooking gas, a reliable water tank, adequate food supplies, hygiene products, and a dependable source of light. For Malak specifically, the needs extend to basic personal items such as clothes and shoes, alongside the critical financial assistance required to cover her university fees and purchase a laptop for her medical coursework.
How Islamic Relief Supports Orphaned Children
Amidst this profound destitution, a vital lifeline has emerged through the support of Islamic Relief, aiding Malak’s family at a time when soaring costs and displacement have made meeting everyday needs nearly impossible. Islamic Relief has a long-standing history of supporting orphaned children in Gaza, a mission it has pursued continuously since 1999 through its established Orphan Sponsorship Programme.
The programme is designed to assist children who have lost one or both parents, providing vulnerable households with a regular monthly financial payment. This predictable support offers families a degree of agency, allowing them to allocate funds toward the needs they deem most urgent—whether that is securing nutritious food, paying for medical care, covering educational expenses, or managing other essential household costs. Furthermore, Islamic Relief endeavors to include sponsored families in broader seasonal initiatives, such as food distributions during Ramadan and Qurbani, Eid gifts for children, and specialized winter assistance packages to help families endure the coldest months.
The scope of this humanitarian intervention has expanded significantly in response to the current crisis. Today, Islamic Relief is actively supporting nearly 25,200 orphaned children across Gaza. Despite this massive mobilization of resources, the scale of the need remains staggering, leaving over 5,100 additional orphaned children currently languishing on a waiting list, hoping for the stability and security that sponsorship provides.
A Chance to Keep Moving Forward
For Malak, the pursuit of her university degree transcends the acquisition of professional credentials. It is an act of profound empathy and purpose. She harbors a deep hope that by eventually qualifying as a doctor, she will be uniquely positioned to care for people who have endured the exact same physical and psychological trauma she has lived through herself.
Even after losing her family home, suffering a severe and untreated physical injury, and confronting barriers that would deter most individuals, Malak refuses to relinquish her vision of the future. With sustained humanitarian support and financial assistance, young people like Malak are given a fighting chance to continue learning, retain their hope, and work toward a more stable and secure tomorrow.
The Orphan Sponsorship Programme managed by Islamic Relief continues to deliver vital, regular support to orphaned children and their families throughout Gaza, serving as a crucial bridge between devastation and recovery.