At just 18 years old, Malak is refusing to let the devastation of war steal her lifelong ambition of becoming a physician. Today, she shares a fragile, worn tent in Gaza with her mother and two brothers, Uday and Atef, after their permanent family home was reduced to rubble. Life in the makeshift shelter is marked by profound difficulty and relentless uncertainty, yet Malak remains fiercely determined to continue her education and carve out a path toward a better, safer future.
Despite the overwhelming displacement, destruction, and daily disruption caused by the ongoing crisis, Malak achieved an extraordinary academic milestone, completing her high school education with an impressive score of 96%. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, she immediately chose to pursue a degree in medicine, taking a vital first step toward the career she has dreamed of for years. However, translating that ambition into reality under current conditions is an uphill battle fraught with systemic barriers.
Many universities and educational facilities across Gaza have sustained severe damage or have been entirely destroyed during the conflict. Consequently, a significant portion of learning has been forced online. Finding reliable internet access in the current environment is a daily challenge, and Malak urgently needs a laptop to attend virtual lectures, access course materials, and complete her assignments. Furthermore, university tuition fees present another massive financial hurdle that her family simply cannot overcome without outside intervention and additional support.
Studying While Living with Severe Physical Pain
Malak’s academic journey is all the more staggering given the physical toll she carries. She is currently dealing with a serious, life-altering injury: she was shot during the crisis, and the bullet remains dangerously lodged in her abdomen. She continues to attend medical check-ups whenever possible while waiting for major surgery—a procedure that is currently unavailable to her due to the near-total collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
Despite living with constant pain and the looming threat of danger, Malak pushes forward, balancing her rigorous studies with domestic responsibilities to help her family survive. Within the confines of their tent, she supports her mother with essential everyday tasks, including cooking, cleaning, and washing. Her mother works tirelessly in a small local bakery, but the meager wages she earns fall woefully short of covering the family’s basic daily needs amidst soaring inflation and widespread shortages.
Life After Losing Their Concrete Home
Before the crisis shattered their lives, Malak and her family lived in a sturdy concrete house, a place of safety and stability. The destruction of that home forced them into a worn tent that offers virtually no insulation or protection against the biting cold of winter, the scorching heat of summer, or heavy seasonal rains.
The family’s daily existence is a struggle for basic survival. They are in urgent need of fundamental living items, including a structurally stronger tent, waterproof coverings to keep out the elements, mattresses, blankets, cooking equipment, cooking gas, a water tank, consistent food supplies, basic hygiene products, and a reliable source of light. In addition to these household necessities, Malak requires appropriate clothes and shoes, alongside critical financial assistance to cover her university tuition and purchase the laptop essential for her medical education.
The Lifeline of Orphan Sponsorship
In the face of these compounding crises, Malak’s family relies heavily on the assistance provided by Islamic Relief, an organization that has stepped in to help when rising costs and displacement have made meeting everyday needs nearly impossible.
Islamic Relief has maintained a continuous presence supporting orphaned children in Gaza since 1999 through its established Orphan Sponsorship Programme. The initiative is designed to support children who have lost one or both parents, providing vulnerable families with a regular monthly financial payment. This predictable income allows families the flexibility to address the needs they consider most urgent, whether that involves purchasing food, securing necessary healthcare, covering educational expenses, or managing other essential household costs.
In addition to monthly financial stipends, Islamic Relief endeavors to include sponsored families in seasonal support initiatives wherever possible. This encompasses distributions for Ramadan and Qurbani food programs, Eid gifts for children, and specialized winter assistance designed to help families endure harsh weather conditions.
The scope of this program has expanded significantly in response to the current crisis. Today, Islamic Relief is actively supporting nearly 25,200 orphaned children across the Gaza Strip. Despite this massive humanitarian effort, the scale of the need remains staggering, with more than 5,100 orphaned children currently lingering on the organization’s waiting list, hoping for the vital lifeline of sponsorship.
A Chance to Keep Moving Forward
For Malak, the pursuit of a university degree extends far beyond the personal satisfaction of academic achievement or earning a professional title. She harbors a deep hope that by eventually becoming a doctor, she will be uniquely positioned to care for other people who are experiencing the exact same pain, trauma, and hardship she has lived through herself.
Despite losing her family home, enduring a serious and untreated physical injury, and facing daily dangers alongside towering structural barriers, Malak has resolutely refused to abandon her dream. With continued humanitarian aid and targeted support, young people like Malak can keep learning, retain a sense of hope, and actively work toward building a more secure and stable future for themselves and their communities.