When we began this program more than a decade ago, we understood that our students would face obstacles. Over the years, we adapted to conditions shaped by occupation, displacement, and recurring instability. We navigated travel restrictions, shifting border regulations, rising tuition, and unpredictable living costs. Hazard related fees, unreliable transportation, and complex visa requirements became familiar challenges.
These were the barriers we came to expect. And we adapted.
What we could never have predicted was supporting students through the psychological and existential weight of genocide. For many students from Gaza, loss has meant not only disruption and separation, but the devastating absence of entire support systems.
And yet, despite grief, fear, and profound uncertainty, they continue. They persist because they are committed to something larger than themselves. They are preparing for the day they can return home to serve, heal, and help rebuild Palestinian healthcare and strengthen their communities.
Supporting Wellbeing, Stability, and Direction
LE.O’s commitment extends beyond financial assistance. We invest in initiatives that support students’ wellbeing, stability, and ability to remain engaged in their academic and professional paths.
For students from Gaza, uncertainty about the future remains one of the heaviest burdens. Many live with constant concern for loved ones while sustaining academic performance under extraordinary pressure.
LE.O remains equally committed to students continuing their education inside Gaza, working to ensure they are able to progress, complete their degrees, and cross the finish line despite extraordinarily difficult conditions.
LE.O helps alleviate strain by fostering structured spaces for connection, grounding, and mutual support. We also ease practical pressures by assisting with housing and food stability, language courses and examinations, and the logistical demands tied to professional advancement.
By reducing these burdens, students are better able to focus on their long-term aspirations: returning home, serving their communities, and contributing to the rebuilding of systems that will one day rely on them.
At a Critical Crossroads
Most of our students from Gaza are medical interns at a pivotal stage. Before returning home, they must secure pathways for specialization, often in Germany. This transition is academically rigorous and administratively complex.
By stabilizing living situations and supporting language preparation and examinations, LE.O helps transform uncertainty into direction.
While we cannot remove every obstacle, we ensure students are not forced to face them alone.
A Story of Determination and Purpose: Seif
Seif, a current LE.O scholar, reflects the perseverance we see across our student community. He successfully completed his medical internship in Egypt, passed both the Egyptian and Palestinian licensure examinations, fulfilled the German language requirements, and is now preparing applications for specialization opportunities in German hospitals.
Seif hopes to specialize in cardiology and plans to return home to Palestine to contribute to rebuilding healthcare services and caring for patients in communities that urgently need skilled physicians.
He achieved these milestones while devastation in Gaza was ongoing.
His journey is not an isolated success, but a reminder of the discipline, resilience, and promise our students demonstrate every day. With the right support, their potential does not diminish under pressure. It strengthens.
An investment in their education is an investment in the future of Palestinian healthcare and community wellbeing.
Ramadan, Community, and Resilience
Ramadan holds deep emotional meaning, especially for students separated from their families. This year, our students in Egypt transformed that distance into togetherness.
They gathered to observe Ramadan collectively, creating moments of warmth, laughter, and belonging. In doing so, they reaffirmed something powerful: even amid uncertainty, community endures.
On Friday, students came together in a gathering that beautifully reflected the resilience, solidarity, and mutual care that define the LE.O community.
You Make This Possible
Every exam completed, every internship continued, and every step toward graduation, whether in Egypt or inside Gaza, is made possible through your support.
Your generosity protects continuity, restores dignity, and sustains hope. Most importantly, it empowers students determined to return home and help rebuild healthcare and strengthen their communities.
Thank you for standing with LE.O.
Stand With Our Students Today