My Dream of Becoming a Doctor – A Plea for Help

My name is [Rashad ], I am 19 years old, and I carry a dream in my heart—a dream of one day becoming a doctor. Two years ago, I left everything behind in Syria—my family, my home, and my childhood—and came to the Netherlands alone, hoping to find a chance to make this dream come true. But the road has been harder than I ever imagined.  

Back in Syria, the war took so much from us—not just homes and streets, but futures. I watched as dreams turned to dust, and I promised myself I would not let mine fade away. So I left, carrying nothing but hope. Here, I work hard, I save what little I can, but it’s never enough. Every month, I send money back to my family because they need it more than I do. How could I not? They are all I have left.  

Now, I stand at the door of my future—the chance to study medicine—but the costs are overwhelming. Books, tuition, living expenses... it feels like a mountain I can’t climb alone. I don’t want to give up. I can’t. After all the struggle, the loneliness, the nights wondering if I made the right choice… I refuse to let my dream slip away.  

Could you help me take this first step? Any amount, no matter how small, will bring me closer to my dream. One day, I want to be the kind of doctor who heals not just bodies, but hearts—because I know what it means to suffer, to hope, and to fight for a better tomorrow. 

There are nights I lie awake, wondering if I’ll ever see my family again. I wonder if they’ll live to see me wear that white coat, to call me "Doctor," and to know their sacrifice was worth it. I don’t just want this for myself—I want it for them. For every person who believed in me when I no longer believed in myself.  

If you can find it in your heart to help, I promise you this: I will work twice as hard, I will strive to be twice as kind, and I will never forget the kindness of those who lifted me up when I needed it most.  

From the bottom of my heart thank