Perseverance pays

Syrian, from Syria /zabadani; seeking Undergraduate degree in Biology and is enrolled at Lebanese University.  

I am Hajar Al Masri, a 19-year-old girl from Zabadani Syria. I am an aspiring dentist, and a biology Freshman at
the Lebanese University.

I experienced displacement many times over. By the time I
was 13, I attended 3 schools, lived in three cities, and eventually left my
country to become a refugee in Lebanon.

2016, the year we arrived in Lebanon, was the worst year of my life. I was 13, and my parents were both detained . I became a homemaker in 8th Grade.

Upon his release, my father took us to Lebanon. My mother eventually joined us a year later.

My father was seriously ill, but he still worked hard to send me to school.

Lebanon gave me opportunities that I would have not dreamed of. This kind of compensated for the challenges I had to overcome.

I am preparing for my entrance exam to the school of dentistry.

I would love to be added to the work force of dentists to increase the number of females in the profession. Only 29% of dentists are women. I
hope to be able to achieve that with your help.

Why Would Donors Fund You?

I had many reasons to lose hope: fear for my parents, caring
for my siblings when I was still a child, and losing my country.

I want to be independent and to have a successful career.
I can only do that with college degree. I will be able to support my siblings.
Your generosity will travel far and will lift at least 3 families out of poverty.

Hope sustained me at times when it was very difficult to get
through the day. Today, I hope again that I will be able to become a successful
dentist. I pray I count on you.

How Do You Plan to Payback?

Hope and positivity are contagious. I will work with
displaced girls and show them how to overcome their displacement trauma.

I will dedicate time to volunteer in my host community
dental care centers to payback for the opportunity to realize my dream I will raise awareness about the need to
increase the presence of girls in STEM.

Volunteer Work/Social Capital

· 2017: Illiteracy program for grade school Kids “Amel” Center

· 2019 Started a chess club for school age children to teach them mental and social skills about this game.

· We organized a “Reward for Learning” program for the ACCESS camp’s students.

· I joined “Action Aid” center for the empowerment of women and girls and to integrate and entertain children with special needs.

What Have You Done to Improve Yourself? Awards and Achievements

• Attended Access, an English American program.

• 7 habits" self-improvement course

• 3-week “Learners do matter" online program

• Extracurricular physics , chemistry, and genetics courses