About the initiative

A map of where our mentees were granted scholarships

Our story

Scholarships for Ghazza (SFG) was founded in August 2024 by Ahmed Issa after he and his family evacuated from Gaza during the Israeli genocide. With Israeli bombings destroying 12 Gaza universities and collapsing the education system, students were left with no way to continue their studies. SFG was created to help them find scholarships and pursue their higher education abroad.

Gaza’s youth are highly educated and eager to learn, but many lack the skills to apply for scholarships—writing personal statements, preparing CVs, and navigating university applications. Ahmed saw this first-hand while helping students secure Chevening Scholarships. They had the talent and determination but needed guidance to present their stories compellingly.

That’s where SFG’s mentorship program comes in. Students are paired with mentors who teach them how to apply, refine their applications, and choose the right scholarships. SFG also collects and shares scholarship opportunities so students can easily access them.

At its core, SFG gives Gaza’s students the tools and support they need to keep learning and building a future—no matter the challenges.

How SFG has grown

What started as a small team of two—founder Ahmed Issa and his former Chevening mentee—has now grown into a global network of over 1,200 participants, with mentors from around the world.

Today, SFG is powered by a dedicated team:

  • 300+ mentor-mentee pairs are actively working on scholarship applications.
  • 5 core organizers manage key aspects of the initiative.
  • 20 volunteer matchmakers connect students with mentors and ensure mentees get the support they need.
  •  Our Head of Matchmaking has customized a CRM system to track mentor-mentee progress efficiently.

Expanding our support:

  • Our Scholarship Volunteer Team has compiled a comprehensive list of funding opportunities for Palestinian students.From a two-person effort to a global movement, SFG is ensuring Gaza’s students have the support, mentorship, and resources they need to pursue their education and future.
  • The English Club mentorship team helps 150 students improve their language skills andprepare for TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo tests.
  • The Student Support team reviews funding requests, covering test fees, university applications, internet, and electricity costs—with over 150 requests fulfilled so far.

The successes of SFG

In just a few months, Scholarships for Ghazza has already made a significant impact, helping students secure life-changing opportunities. So far, SFG has supported:

  • 2 students in securing the French Excellence Scholarship
  • 3 students shortlisted for HESPAL (Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians)
  • 1 student shortlisted for DAAD (Germany)
  • 8 students shortlisted for IPSP, with 5 progressing to primary candidates. (Ireland)
  • 2 students admitted to the University of Cambridge. (UK)

And this is just the beginning. As the academic year progresses, we anticipate even more success stories from hundreds of SFG students who have applied for prestigious scholarships like Fulbright, Chevening, Daughters for Life, Turkish Government, Singapore, Qatar and Said Foundation Scholarships.

With the right support, Gaza’s students are proving that their resilience and talent can break barriers and open doors to a brighter future.

The future of SFG

Scholarships for Ghazza (SFG) has been entirely volunteer-led, operating without formal infrastructure. Now, we are working to register as an official organization, with one idea being to establish SFG as a Community Interest Company (CIC).

We plan to introduce a structured cohort system, with two student intakes per year, each enrolling 250 students from various fields, primarily graduate and postgraduate levels—where most scholarship opportunities exist. Each cohort will receive five months of support.

How it will work

Foundational Training

Students will attend back-to-back sessions covering essential skills like:

  • Meeting English language requirements.
  • Choosing the right course.
  • Writing a strong personal statement.
  • Applying to universities.
  • Obtaining reference letters.
Mentorship

After training, students will be paired with mentors to refine their applications and target specific scholarships.

Collaboration with Scholarship Providers

We aim to partner with scholarship foundations to host Q&A sessions, giving students direct access to insights from funding organizations.

By building a sustainable, structured system, SFG will continue empowering Gaza’s students to pursue higher education and secure global opportunities.