Eleven years ago, as I was establishing the Leonard Education Organization (LE.O), I received a message on Facebook from a young woman in Gaza. She was studying medicine at Cairo University and wrote to ask if LE.O. could help support her education.
At the time, our program was just being launched and had a very clear focus: we matched exceptional students with scholarships at American universities. Because of that, I reluctantly declined her request.
But her response to my rejection was so gracious, so full of warmth and determination, that I found myself wanting to know more about her story. That moment of curiosity changed everything.
Her name was Razan, and she would become the very first student we supported close to home.
Razan came from a family that had fallen on devastating hardship. Their home in Gaza had been bombed twice. Her father’s taxi — the family’s only source of income had also been destroyed. Despite all of this, Razan remained determined to complete her medical degree.
Not long after learning her story, I reached out looking for donors to support her need and an unexpected opportunity emerged.
A close family friend of mine, a doctor, had recently suffered an unimaginable loss, his son had died in a tragic accident. In his grief, he wanted to create something meaningful to honor his son’s life. When I told him about Razan, he immediately agreed to establish a scholarship in his son’s name.
He covered everything Razan needed: tuition, books, and room and board.
Razan stayed in close contact with both of us throughout her studies. She shared her achievements, her challenges, and the milestones along the way. But often, her letters also carried the quiet weight she lived with every day, the constant worry for her family back in Gaza.
Through Razan, I was reminded of something powerful: sometimes a single act of generosity does more than support an education, it creates hope in the middle of unimaginable uncertainty.
Many years ago, I wrote a newsletter featuring two photographs of Razan. One captured a young student sitting quietly in a classroom, still finding her confidence. The other showed the brilliant and assured physician she would become. I titled it “A Picture Tells a Thousand Words,” and even today I can think of no clearer illustration of the transformative power of education and the remarkable potential of the students we work with.
A few years later, one of LE.O.’s board members and his wife had the opportunity to visit Gaza. While there, they gathered our student community for a meal and time together.
It was during this gathering that Razan shared her educational journey with the younger students who were still working toward their medical degrees. She spoke openly about the challenges she had faced and offered guidance and encouragement that was deeply appreciated.
That evening, something powerful happened. The bond among the LE.O. students in Gaza grew stronger, and our board member was able to connect personally with each of them, hearing their stories, their aspirations, and their determination to succeed despite the circumstances around them.
Through Razan’s journey, we saw how one act of support can grow into something much larger: not just helping one student succeed, but building a community of resilience, mentorship, and hope.
We have lost our precious Razan along with most of her family as they were brutally killed in Gaza.
With the permission of her only surviving sister who was studying out of the country at the time, we wish to honor Razan by establishing a Fund at LE.O in her name. We invite you to join us by helping to support this fund.
Information about Razan and her family can be found on the In Honor of Scholarship Fund page on our site, please visit.
The pain of this tragedy will forever be carried in our heart,