Hello everyone!

My name is Ahmad El Masri, 25 years old, from Lebanon. My motto in life is “Learning, improving, evolving”. I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read about my cause.

A little about me,

After my mother was diagnosed with kidney failure, I dedicated my time to understanding this disease and researching available treatments to show my full support. I, therefore, discovered the satisfaction of searching for solutions for medical disorders and decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in Bioengineering. I obtained my degree at The University of Sheffield. My priorities continued to gravitate towards trying to understand how engineering principles can be applied to medicine using science to improve lives.

My story in short,

In 2019, I started applying to universities in Canada and Australia because I wanted to pursue my post-graduate studies at higher institutions. Unfortunately, late 2019, a small governmental decision sparked the start of a revolution. The country suffers from an economical, environmental and social crisis. The government has failed to address such large-scale issues as the widespread corruption and a looming currency crisis. Lebanon is one of the most indebted nations, its government debt is estimated at 155 percent of gross domestic product. As the revolution continued, currency devaluation commenced and the inflation rate has surged to 89.74 percent in June of 2020. Bottomline is the country went bankrupt and this left banks, who were loaning money to the government, also bankrupt. In parallel, the global pandemic was just starting and it seemed as if my plan to continue my studies was jeopardized.

But, me receiving an unconditional offer from Monash University in Australia was the light at the end of the tunnel. I am still applying for scholarships to help me cover as much as possible from my tuition fees. My tuition fees for one year are 48,000 Australian dollars (approximately £26,000). My main aim is to be able to cover my 1st year’s fees and then I would want to secure a part time job to fund my 2nd year.

My goals,

Research on medical devices and implants is still young, and my long term goal is to become more active in identifying and developing new applications of biological machines and systems for medical applications to bridge the gap between disability and ability, between human limitations and human potential. I aspire to improve patient care and ensure that new products meet the needs of tomorrow’s medical practice. I would like to be part of a diverse team of doctors, nurses, and therapists and train a staff on medical devices. I believe that a postgraduate degree would allow me to make a change in patients’ lives and give back to my community.

With that being said, any help from you, whether big or small would help me towards my tuition fees and is greatly appreciated. Hopefully this would be an opportunity for me to show everyone that financial hardships did not stop me from fulfilling my goals and dreams.