Aya Boumzebra, the 24-year-old Moroccan architecture student who had been in a coma at a hospital in France, has passed away. Her death comes days after a large public campaign called for urgent support to help cover the costs of a second liver transplant.
News of her death was met with grief online, as dozens of people close to her shared messages reading “May she rest in peace.” Among them was Nawal Filali, who had accompanied the family throughout the process and confirmed the tragic outcome through a post on behalf of the association.
She was in her fourth year at the École Supérieure d’Architecture de Marrakech, and the 24-year-old has long suffered from a liver condition.
Aya’s condition has worsened sharply following complications after a previous transplant. The initial surgery, carried out a year ago, had gone well. But a recent infection disrupted her recovery and led to a medical emergency that now requires immediate surgical intervention.
She was first treated at the Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat. After her condition failed to improve, doctors transferred her to the Paul Brousse Hospital near Paris. There, she fell into a coma last week. Specialists at the Paris hospital have confirmed the need for a second liver transplant, describing it as urgent.
The required procedure comes at a high cost. The family must raise €250,000, over MAD 2.6 million, a sum far beyond their current means. In response, Aya’s relatives have turned to the public, asking for help to keep their daughter alive.
According to converging reports, they launched a donation campaign through the French crowdfunding platform Leetchi and shared banking details for direct transfers in Morocco. The effort quickly reached social media, where friends, influencers, and strangers began spreading the appeal.
Boumzebra grew up with a liver condition and endured years of treatment. After her transplant last year, she returned to her studies, determined to graduate. Her recent relapse has devastated those close to her. Aya’s mother and father remain in Paris at her bedside, hoping the funds arrive in time.
Her case was officially under the care of the association Yallah Netteaawnou, led by Nawal Filali. The organization has taken charge of all donations and communications in coordination with Aya’s family.
A professional bank account has been created under the association’s name, and all previously collected funds, including those from Aya’s aunt’s personal account, will be transferred to it.
Thanks to the immense public support, the initial sum requested by Paul Brousse Hospital in Paris, covering reanimation and intensive care, has already been secured. However, this amount does not include the €250,000 needed for the liver transplant.
The association had recently closed all fundraising campaigns, pending an awaited response from Morocco’s National Social Security Fund (CNSS) regarding further medical expenses. In its latest public message before Aya’s death, it had urged supporters to remain cautious about unofficial donation channels and to pray for her recovery.
