Some students change their own lives through education.
Others change the direction of an entire organization.
Razan Hamdan Abulebdeh was one of those rare individuals. A physician from Gaza, a Leonard Education Organization (LE.O) scholar, and a young woman defined by courage, compassion, and service, Razan believed deeply in the power of education to transform communities. Her life was tragically cut short in December 2023 when she and members of her family were killed in Gaza. Yet the promise she made as a student still guides us today: that opportunity should never stop with one person.
The Razan Hamdan Abulebdeh Scholarship was created so that her legacy continues through the students who follow in her footsteps.
The Legacy of Hamdan and Amna
Razan’s story begins long before her own life.
Her parents, Hamdan Abulebdeh and Amna Abuanza, were children when the Nakba of 1948 forced their families to flee the Naqab and seek refuge in Gaza. Like many displaced Palestinian families, they carried with them very little except a profound belief that education would be the foundation of dignity, resilience, and survival for future generations.
Hamdan went on to study mathematics education in Jordan and later worked as a teacher across several cities in Saudi Arabia. Amna became the first woman in her family to pursue university education, traveling to Egypt to study Arabic at Al Azhar University before beginning her own career as a teacher.
For Hamdan and Amna, education was never simply a means of personal advancement. Having grown up amid displacement and uncertainty, they understood learning as both responsibility and service. Knowledge was something to be shared and used to strengthen community life.
They instilled this belief deeply in their children. In their home, education was not only encouraged. It was understood as a moral obligation to give back despite adversity.
In many ways, Razan’s life became a continuation of the values Hamdan and Amna carried with them from the Naqab to Gaza: that education is not only a personal achievement, but a responsibility to serve others.
Razan’s Path
Born in Hafr Al Batin under medically complicated circumstances that endangered both her and her mother, Razan’s birth was later described by her mother as a blessing that brought enduring strength and light into the family’s life.
From an early age, Razan embodied the values she inherited. She was curious, compassionate, and deeply committed to using education to improve the lives of others.
When Razan first reached out to the Leonard Education Organization(LE.O) during her early years as a medical student, our work was primarily focused on placing Palestinian students in universities in the United States and Europe. At the time, we did not yet have the infrastructure to support students studying in the region, particularly those pursuing demanding fields such as medicine.
But Razan was impossible to overlook.
Her intelligence, determination, and warmth quickly made it clear that students like her deserved support. In many ways, Razan helped shape the direction of our organization. Because of her, LE.O began expanding its work so that Palestinian students studying in universities across the region could also receive support.
Razan became the first medical student supported by LE.O and the first scholar we supported at an Egyptian university.
During medical school, she demonstrated remarkable initiative. In one public health project, she transformed a classroom assignment into a community field initiative that investigated health issues affecting children in low income communities in Egypt. The project identified anemia as a widespread but treatable condition, and Razan helped lead a campaign to raise awareness among families and distribute iron supplements to children in need.
After graduating from medical school, Razan returned to Gaza and began working as a physician in the emergency department of a local hospital. Hospitals in Gaza often operate under severe shortages of specialists and resources, yet Razan approached the work with extraordinary dedication. In one critical case, when a patient arrived with a life-threatening allergic reaction and no emergency specialist was available, Razan took initiative and administered emergency treatment herself. She remained at the patient’s bedside through the night until his condition stabilized.
Razan dreamed of specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Her goal was to improve reproductive healthcare and fertility services in Gaza. Many families in Gaza must travel abroad to access infertility treatment, a journey that is financially and politically out of reach for most. Razan hoped to change that by gaining advanced training and bringing these services home to her community. Even as a student, Razan believed deeply in lifting others along the way. When LE.O’s Executive Director once told her that one day it would be her responsibility to support another Palestinian student the way she had been supported, Razan replied with a promise that captured the essence of who she was: “I will pay it forward for many.”
A Family Devoted to Service
Tragically, Razan was killed along with members of her family in Gaza on December 12, 2023 during the genocide. She had been volunteering as a doctor and returned home briefly to collect essential items so she could continue her medical work.
Razan was brutally killed along with members of her remarkable family devoted to education, service, and community. Watch below her sister Hala’s video interview and read the interview on Airwars. Here is the last application essay Razan wrote
Her sister Reem worked as a physiotherapist with Médecins Sans Frontières in Gaza and later served as an associate trustee with MSF UK.
Her sister Tasneem graduated from medical school and had begun specialty training in cardiology.
Her brother Islam was a civil engineer who worked with local and international organizations before joining the Bani Suhaila municipality.
Her youngest sister Shahad had recently graduated in software engineering just months before the genocide.
Their lives represented generations of commitment to learning, service, and rebuilding community despite displacement and hardship.
Today, Razan’s sister Hala, who survived because she was studying abroad at the time, continues to carry the family’s legacy forward. With Hala’s blessing, the Leonard Education Organization (LE.O) has established this scholarship so that Razan’s dream of supporting other students will continue.
The Razan Hamdan Abulebdeh Scholarship
The Razan Hamdan Abulebdeh Scholarship supports Palestinian women pursuing careers in healthcare.
In consultation with Razan’s sister, the scholarship prioritizes:
- Female medical students from eastern Khan Younis, an underserved area of Gaza
- Students who demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to community service
- Scholars who volunteer in Gaza and dedicate their skills to supporting their community
Recipients will also receive mentorship through the Leonard Education Organization (LE.O) and join a global network of Palestinian scholars committed to leadership and service.
Carrying Razan’s Promise Forward
Razan did not live to fulfill her dream of becoming a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology.
But her promise remains.
Every student supported through this scholarship will carry forward the commitment she made years ago to ensure that opportunity does not stop with one person.
To pay it forward for many.