At just 18 years old, Malak is holding tightly to a childhood dream that many young people take for granted: the aspiration to become a medical doctor. Today, however, that ambition is being pursued from the floor of a worn canvas tent in Gaza, where she lives alongside her mother and her two brothers, Uday and Atef. Their lives have been upended, marked by the total destruction of their family home and the daily struggles of survival amidst an ongoing humanitarian crisis. Life in the makeshift encampment is profoundly difficult and deeply uncertain, yet Malak remains unwavering in her determination to continue her education, heal her community, and build a secure future for her family.
Despite widespread displacement and the severe educational disruptions brought on by the crisis, Malak achieved an impressive score of 96% on her high school examinations. Armed with this remarkable academic record, she chose to enroll in medical school, taking a decisive and courageous step toward the career she has envisioned for years. For Malak, this pursuit is not merely about achieving personal success; it is a vital lifeline to normalcy and a purposeful future in a landscape profoundly altered by conflict.
However, continuing her higher education under current conditions is an extraordinary challenge. Numerous universities, colleges, and educational facilities across Gaza have sustained heavy damage or been entirely destroyed during the hostilities. Consequently, a significant portion of academic instruction has been forced online. For Malak, accessing reliable internet connectivity is a daily hurdle, and she urgently requires a personal laptop to attend virtual lectures, access course materials, and complete her academic assignments. Beyond logistical and technological barriers, university tuition fees present another major obstacle, one that her family simply cannot afford without external financial intervention and community support.
Studying While Living with Pain
Malak’s daily reality is further compounded by a severe physical injury sustained during the crisis. She was shot, and the bullet remains dangerously lodged in her abdomen. While she continues to attend regular medical check-ups to monitor her condition, she finds herself waiting indefinitely for a specialized surgical procedure that is presently unavailable to her. This lack of access is a direct consequence of Gaza’s severely strained and collapsing healthcare system.
Despite living with chronic pain and the psychological weight of her unaddressed injury, Malak refuses to let her circumstances deter her from her studies. When she is not grappling with coursework or medical appointments, she plays an integral role in sustaining her household. At home, she actively supports her mother with a relentless array of everyday domestic tasks, including cooking meals, cleaning their cramped living space, and washing clothes. Her mother works tirelessly in a small local bakery to provide for the household, but the modest wages she earns are entirely insufficient to cover the family’s basic living expenses, let alone the rising costs associated with Malak’s university education.
Life After Losing Their Home
Before the crisis shattered their lives, Malak and her family lived in a stable, permanent concrete house. The complete destruction of their home forced them into a fragile tent that offers virtually no insulation or physical protection from harsh environmental elements, whether it is the biting cold of winter, the intense heat of summer, or heavy seasonal rains.
The family’s daily existence is defined by scarcity. They are urgently in need of basic survival items, ranging from a structurally stronger tent and waterproof coverings to mattresses, heavy blankets, cooking equipment, cooking gas, a functional water tank, regular food supplies, hygiene products, and a reliable source of light. In addition to these fundamental household necessities, Malak requires basic personal items such as appropriate clothing and shoes, alongside critical financial assistance to cover her university tuition and acquire a laptop for her medical studies.
How Islamic Relief Supports Orphaned Children
During this period of acute vulnerability, when skyrocketing costs and relentless displacement have made meeting everyday needs nearly impossible, Malak’s family has found a crucial source of support through Islamic Relief.
Islamic Relief has a long-standing commitment to vulnerable children in the region, having supported orphaned children in Gaza continuously since 1999 through its established Orphan Sponsorship Programme. The initiative is designed to assist children who have lost one or both parents, providing their households with a regular monthly financial payment. This predictable income allows families the flexibility to address the needs they consider most urgent and immediate, whether those priorities involve purchasing nutritious food, paying for vital healthcare services, covering educational expenses, or managing other essential household costs.
Furthermore, Islamic Relief endeavors to include sponsored families in broader seasonal aid initiatives whenever possible. These supplemental efforts include distributions during Ramadan and Qurbani, festive Eid gifts for children, and specialized winter assistance programs designed to help families cope with harsh weather conditions.
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, providing a vital safety net for families striving to stay afloat. Despite this expansive reach, the sheer scale of the need remains staggering, with more than 5,100 additional orphaned children currently languishing on a waiting list, hoping for the lifeline of sponsorship.
A Chance to Keep Moving Forward
For Malak, attending university and pursuing a degree in medicine represents a profound mission that extends far beyond the attainment of academic credentials. She harbors a deep hope that by eventually qualifying as a doctor, she will be uniquely positioned to care for and treat other people who are enduring the exact same pain, trauma, and hardship that she has lived through herself.
Despite the profound devastation of losing her family home, enduring the physical agony of an untreated injury, navigating daily danger, and facing seemingly insurmountable structural barriers, Malak has resolutely refused to abandon her dream. With sustained humanitarian assistance and community backing, young people like Malak are empowered to keep learning, maintain their resilience, and actively work toward building a safer and more secure future.
Islamic Relief’s Orphan Sponsorship Programme continues to provide regular, reliable support to orphaned children and their families throughout Gaza. Contributions to this mission help sustain a lifeline for Gaza’s vulnerable youth at a time when hope and perseverance are needed more than ever.