Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world - Nelson Mandela.
 

Education is a fundamental right, yet it has been shattered for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians as their universities were destroyed and reduced to rubble. Help them reclaim their right to learn, pursue their dreams, and rebuild their futures. Your support can empower them through education, which is the key to their strength, resilience, and self-determination.

This is why we founded Palestinian Students & Scholars At Risk (PSSAR). Established in Canada in March 2024 by a group of scholars and entrepreneurs, PSSAR is a non-political, nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering global academic solidarity. Our mission is to support Palestinian students in pursuing their academic dreams. Essentially, we strive to transform lives, one student at a time.

Founded in March 2024, PSSAR is dedicated to assisting Palestinian students, particularly those from Gaza, who are unable to attend universities in their home region. We support them throughout the entire process: from admissions and securing funding to obtaining visas, resettlement, psychosocial support, and financial guidance.

From March to August, PSSAR successfully facilitated admissions and funding for over 70 applicants. To date, 6 applicants, including one family with four children, have received their visas, and we expect 8 more visa approvals in September.

Our goal is to support at least 100 students each year. We are committed to not only preserving Gaza's brightest minds but also empowering them to become the future leaders and change-makers of Palestine. Together, we can ensure that these talented individuals return to their homeland ready to drive meaningful change and build a better future for their communities.

We’ve rallied over 60 dedicated volunteers to reach this goal who generously contribute their time. We need your financial support to sustain our mission and cover important expenses such as admission fees and student permits and visas. Every dollar you donate will bring hope and make a real difference.

One family has already arrived in Canada, and their experience highlights the critical role of your support:

"After October 2023, my life was torn apart. My family was split up. With the imminent risks of being killed by airstrikes, naval fire, or tank shelling, I had to leave the Gaza Strip. We used what was left of our resources to cover the expenses of our journey to Egypt, leaving behind my spouse and mother-in-law who could not make it, as the only crossing was occupied and shut down shortly after we left... Amid all this, I came across the Palestinian Students & Scholars at Risk (PSSAR) initiative. Reading about its mission to empower students and scholars through global academic solidarity, it sounded like just the relief we needed in such critical times... The PSSAR initiative is now changing my life. After truly hard times in Gaza, PSSAR has not only given me hope but also offered my four kids a life-changing opportunity to resume their education in Canada and fulfill their aspirations. We are settling down, already progressed so much, we have been very busy the past two weeks, settling down everything before starting my studies. I am excited to start my Master’s degree at McGill."

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded - Ralph Waldo Emerson