My name is Bayan Waled Rayan, a nursing student from Gaza. I chose this field out of a deep humanitarian passion and a desire to serve others. Since I was a child, I used to accompany my mother to hospitals and witnessed how a nurse could ease someone’s pain with a kind word or a gentle touch. I decided I wanted to be that warm hand that offers comfort and care—especially in a society struggling under siege and destruction. For me, nursing is not just a profession; it is a life mission.

In Gaza, everyday life is full of challenges, but the recent war turned everything upside down. My family lost our home and we became scattered among relatives and shelters. Electricity and water were cut off, and my university had to close its doors multiple times due to airstrikes. My father, who supported us with a simple job, lost his source of income. All we had left was the will to survive and the hope to carry on.

Despite everything, I never gave up on my dream. I studied by candlelight or the dim screen of a mobile phone. Sometimes I walked to hospital under bombardment. Other times, I helped my mother meet the needs of my younger siblings before opening my books. Studying was not just a way to get a degree—it became my only path out of this harsh reality.

Today, I am in urgent need of your support. This educational grant is not just a way to cover tuition; it is a lifeline. It will give me the ability to continue my studies without the constant fear of not being able to pay the fees or being forced to stop midway. It is an investment in me—as a person striving to be part of the solution, to provide care, and to help build a stronger community in the face of crisis.

What drives me is not only the dream of becoming a nurse, but also the hope that I will one day return to this wounded city and serve its people. I want to be part of a medical team that rescues children from beneath the rubble and brings smiles back to mothers who have lost loved ones. I believe that every pain can be a source of strength, and every destruction can be the beginning of a new rebuild—if we find those who believe in us.

I ask you to be part of this dream. Your donation today is not just money—it is a message that says: “We believe in you.” And with that message, I will continue on my path, and one day, I will give back by serving others—just as you have supported me now.

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Bayan Waled Rayan | Khan Younis, Palestine

By Arab Student Aid International

Bayan Waled Rayan | Khan Younis, Palestine

Major: Nursing