University Scholarships for Students in Palestine

Thanks to you and many generous supporters of our scholarship program, 36 young Palestinians graduated with degrees in education, midwifery, Arabic literature, nursing and more!

We are working hard to review applications from new students hoping to attend university in the West Bank and Gaza and will keep you updated about some of these talented and ambitious Palestinians who are continuing their education with your support.

Here is a profile of one of the 36 outstanding recent graduates of our scholarship project: 

Maya, 22, graduated from al-Makassed’s Nursing School in Jerusalem in June 2019. Maya was a beneficiary of the Elly Jaensch Memorial Scholarship fund and is one of many students receiving a scholarship from MECA who has made us really proud.

Her desire to become a nurse came from a bittersweet experience. When Maya was young, her grandfather was extremely sick and spent lots of time in hospitals. He was cared for by several nurses, and his favorite one was named Maya, just like his beloved granddaughter. When she grew up, her parents shared this story with her and said that he always prayed that his little Maya would grow up to become an amazing nurse like nurse Maya. The thought of a career comforting sick people and also making her family proud appealed to her, and eventually her grandfather’s prayer was answered.

Maya’s family lives in Silwan, East Jerusalem. They have a moderate income but they would always try to do the impossible for their daughter so she could pursue her dreams. There was always pressure and stress over financing such education. That’s when Maya was introduced to the MECA scholarship program and the financial obstacles were no longer a source of stress and pressure.

Maya explained “I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that I’ve witnessed my mother’s tears of joy and appreciation more than one time when she saw how I didn’t have to carry the financial burden of getting an education and was lucky enough to only focus on studies which gave me the opportunity to excel at them.”

Maya’s academic journey doesn’t end here. She still wants to enhance her medical skills, learn more, and reach higher places. While pursuing further professional development, she plans to volunteer with organizations that support children in order to give back to her community and set an example for the children.