Second chances story: Ammar’s fund was created a year after his tragic death on January 11, 2017. The fund honors Ammar’s memory by providing help to refugee students whose lives were disrupted by conflicts in Syria and Palestine.

But Ammar’s fund took a life unto its own. It evolved not only to commemorate the memory of its namesake, but also to champion his vision of justice for which he fought throughout his life. To date, the fund has helped seven students from Syria and Palestine pursue their higher education.

The highlight of the fund in 2018 has been the graduation of Adel Al-Yafi , the first beneficiary, from Washington State University at Pullman. The fund, which I have dubbed the fund of second chances, also provided help to Hadi Altheeb who is currently pursuing an online degree in psychology at the University of Essex. Hadi will hopefully launch his Arabic YouTube channel to counsel and comfort traumatized youth in conflict zones.

Ahmad Kharoub, a Syrian in Zaatari had to support his mother and sister after the passing of his father. Ahmad managed to write a novel, learn classical guitar, support a family and finish a high school diploma. He is now a freshman at Zarqa University in Jordan. Ahmad wants to establish an on-line free university for refugees when he graduates

Ammar’s Fund honors the type of person he was well on his way to becoming: one, in the words of Tennyson, “Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will: to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

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