As we close our tenth year at LE.O, we reflect with gratitude on how far we have come, and how urgently our work is needed today. What began with four student volunteers has expanded to nine, allowing us to support an ever-growing number of young people whose educational journeys have been disrupted by conflict and displacement, especially our Gazan students.
Your Support Has Made This Possible
- Reaching Gazan youth in crisis
The unprecedented needs of students from Gaza required us to expand rapidly. We partnered with organizations and individuals committed to providing emergency support, educational continuity, and hope for the future. We provided many with guidance and shared our waiting list to grow our outreach. - Guiding students through relocation
This year we supported even more students from Gaza and the West Bank, adding Romania to our list of host countries and expanding enrollment in Scotland, Italy, Pakistan, and Cyprus. Our most complex cases were those who fled Sudan and are now in academic limbo in Egypt. Your support allows us to keep advocating for their futures. - Addressing rising needs in the West Bank and Lebanon
Educational access in these regions continues to deteriorate. Because of you, we are able to keep showing up for these communities. However, we need to do more.
Supporting Mental Health in Times of Crisis
We continue to provide mental health services, as observation and guidance are crucial in these times. Led by our director of student affairs, Iman, a graduate clinical social work student who knows firsthand the impact of ongoing loss, we are providing tailored support to our students.
Mercy Corps generously provided guidelines for self-care, and more recently, Dr. M. Baig-Amin shared an extensive paper on generational trauma and related resources with our community. Our next critical focus will be on supporting reunification with families.
A Critical Priority: Supporting Medical & Dental Students
The path to clinical training and specialization for our Gazan medical and dental students has become increasingly challenging.
To keep their futures viable, we are now funding:
- German and English language courses
- USMLE (can provide access to a few countries in the region) and related exam fees for other countries
- Career development support
If you or your network can help with placements, internships, or residency pathways, we warmly welcome your partnership.
Our Students Are Giving Back, Even in Crisis
Many of our Gazan students who are now abroad are determined to return home to rebuild their communities, some feel it is important to develop their specialization skills before returning to their homes. Those still in Gaza, pharmacy, medical, and dental students, are already volunteering their skills to support civilians under unimaginable conditions. Your generosity directly fuels their strength, service, and resilience.
In Their Own Words
We invite you to watch a video created by one of our journalism students, featuring interviews from our recent student gathering in Egypt. It is a moving reminder of why your support of their education matters.
Looking Ahead: Institutionalizing Our Work
Our goal is to institutionalize LE.O, ensuring we can sustain this work for years to come. We know that many of you are already doing what you can to alleviate the unimaginable suffering faced by the People of Palestine. We humbly ask you to consider supporting LE.O with your end-of-year gift (for our U.S. supporters) or through ongoing contributions from wherever you are in the world. Our students are doing their part in these horrific times, we can show them their futures matter through our continued support and guidance.
Why We Need You Now
Help us to ensure:
- Stability for students in displacement
- Access to quality education
- Pathways to professional futures
- The hope and dignity every young person deserves
Your contribution lights the path for the future of our younger generation.
With Gratitude
On behalf of the LE.O student community, board, and volunteers, thank you for standing with us. We wish you good health and peace during this holiday season.