Syrian, from Aleppo; seeking Undergraduate degree in Law and is enrolled at Lebanese University.
I was born in Syria, but everything changed when the war started and my father was kidnapped. After he came back, we had to leave everything behind and move to Lebanon as refugees. Life there was really tough not just financially but in what that entails, like not affording to live in a safe house.
I was in grade 7 at the time, I was thrown in a public school where the curriculums were in total different language. I had no extra help or tutoring, so I struggled to keep up and then I was bullied and convinced into believing that my brain is less. Honestly, I acted out, so I faced more aggression with no system to back me up, or a community that understood the challenges I face on daily basis. I was further alienated, even by my own family. Because I had no legal residency permit, I was also at the risk of getting kicked out of school at anytime. No matter what I did, I couldn’t figure it out. I was stuck in a loop of confusion, and aggression, and more confusion, and more aggression.
Going through all this made me realize how unfair things can be. I couldn’t figure out the system and I couldn’t fit in it, and my pursuit of a degree in law is my attempt at understanding it, and making it accessible for those who are like me.
Why Would Donors Fund You?
As a Syrian refugee, I faced bullying, language barriers, and the threat of losing my education just for lacking legal papers. I chose to study law so I can stand up for those like me and feel helpless in front of the complex inaccessible legal system. Donors' support would help me turn struggle into lasting impact.
How Do You Plan to Payback?
Laws were made to be applied, but loopholes were left to be used. I’ve helped students access university despite legal and financial barriers, but my lack of a law degree limited my reach and credibility. With a degree, I’ll gain the authority to advocate more effectively. I plan to launch a platform offering free legal guidance to students, helping them raise their cases to the right authorities or find lawful alternatives when the system fails them.
Volunteer Work/Social Capital
I supported Syrian students with no residency permit to navigate the complex process of registering at the Lebanese University. I used my legal knowledge to guide them through loopholes and administrative barriers, that allowed them to register despite having no residency permit and claim their right to education.
I volunteered in media literacy campaigns with DW Akademie.
With Reform Lebanon and Depositors Union (DU), I contributed to legal reforms and lawsuits to help people who lost their funds during the financial crises in Lebanon.
What Have You Done to Improve Yourself? Awards and Achievements
On my way to find my passion, I completed vocational training in Agricultural Services (2016) with UNICEF, AVSI, and the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture (scoring 18.8/20). I won first prize in the MIL4Peace article competition (2018) by DW Akademie and attended 40 sessions on Media Literacy for Peace. I also completed a CPR course with the Red Cross, joined UNICEF’s tech skills training, health sessions at the Health Club, and the Berytech Ideathon 2020.
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