How a Bangladesh university is fighting for Gaza women’s education dreams

The fragile ceasefire in Gaza has rekindled hope for a group of young women whose dreams of higher education were crushed by war.

While sporadic violence continues to threaten the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, the lull has revived efforts by the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Bangladesh

to evacuate students from the conflict zone and give them a chance to study again.

Kamal Ahmad, AUW’s founder, said the university remained determined to bring students from Gaza to its Chittagong campus after earlier attempts failed.

“We will keep trying until we are able to achieve our goal,” Ahmad told This Week in Asia.

Founded in 2008, AUW offers full scholarships to women from underprivileged or conflict-affected communities, giving them access to courses that can change their lives. For many, the difference lies between a life of menial work and one of meaningful contribution to their communities.