Lebanese students abroad fight for their future

Young people turn to online fundraising to secure their education as the economic crisis bites back home.

At the age of 18, Samer al-Gharib left his hometown in Lebanon with one goal in mind: to finish his studies in the United Kingdom. He is now pursuing a Master’s in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering at University College London. Lebanon is mired in the worst economic crisis seen in decades, pushing tens of thousands into poverty. Like many others, al-Gharib’s family is deeply affected by the fragile economic situation, which was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the deadly explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020.