Palestinian Teen Struggles to Flee Gaza and Pursue Education in the UK
Dania Alafranji, a 16-year-old Palestinian student, is trapped in war-torn Gaza and denied the chance to join her mother in the UK for education.
LONDON: Dania Alafranji, a 16-year-old Palestinian teenager, finds herself 'stuck in hell' after being denied the opportunity to leave Gaza and study in the UK.
Despite being offered a place at Reddam House school in England 18 months ago, she has yet to receive a UK visa.
Alafranji, who hopes to pursue a career in cybersecurity, has been studying online in Gaza for two years.
Her family's attempts to have her join her mother, Hayat Ghalayini, in Manchester have been fruitless.
The UK currently only accepts students from Gaza on the Chevening Scholarship scheme, which is a one-year program for university-age students.
Alafranji's mother managed to flee Gaza early in the war and has not seen her daughter since she was 14.
Ghalayini expressed her helplessness in trying to get Dania to the UK.
She explained that due to the ongoing war, it is difficult for Dania to obtain necessary biometric documents required for a visa application.
This results in a 'catch-22' situation where Dania cannot leave Gaza without a visa, but also cannot acquire the required documents while stuck there.
Several students from Gaza of similar age have been accepted to study in other European countries such as Italy, Belgium, Ireland, and France.
Ghalayini questions why the UK is not offering assistance to her daughter, noting that they did help children from war-torn regions like Ukraine.
She urges for a humanitarian perspective towards Dania's situation.
Alafranji described Gaza as being 'like an oven, with the fire burning us both from the outside and inside.' The teenager emphasized that neither she nor the other 600,000 Gazan students are responsible for the war.
Schools and universities in Gaza have either been destroyed or converted into shelters due to the conflict.
The plight of Dania Alafranji highlights the ongoing challenges faced by young Palestinians seeking education amidst the turmoil of war.
Despite being offered a place at Reddam House school in England 18 months ago, she has yet to receive a UK visa.
Alafranji, who hopes to pursue a career in cybersecurity, has been studying online in Gaza for two years.
Her family's attempts to have her join her mother, Hayat Ghalayini, in Manchester have been fruitless.
The UK currently only accepts students from Gaza on the Chevening Scholarship scheme, which is a one-year program for university-age students.
Alafranji's mother managed to flee Gaza early in the war and has not seen her daughter since she was 14.
Ghalayini expressed her helplessness in trying to get Dania to the UK.
She explained that due to the ongoing war, it is difficult for Dania to obtain necessary biometric documents required for a visa application.
This results in a 'catch-22' situation where Dania cannot leave Gaza without a visa, but also cannot acquire the required documents while stuck there.
Several students from Gaza of similar age have been accepted to study in other European countries such as Italy, Belgium, Ireland, and France.
Ghalayini questions why the UK is not offering assistance to her daughter, noting that they did help children from war-torn regions like Ukraine.
She urges for a humanitarian perspective towards Dania's situation.
Alafranji described Gaza as being 'like an oven, with the fire burning us both from the outside and inside.' The teenager emphasized that neither she nor the other 600,000 Gazan students are responsible for the war.
Schools and universities in Gaza have either been destroyed or converted into shelters due to the conflict.
The plight of Dania Alafranji highlights the ongoing challenges faced by young Palestinians seeking education amidst the turmoil of war.
