Baraa was 9 years old when she left Syria in 2013. Her time at school was interrupted due to her fleeing the country alongside her family to settle in a refugee camp in Lebanon. For the past 9 years, Baraa took part in an unusual journey, one that Jusoor is immensely proud of.
It was challenging for Baraa to continue her education after leaving her home country due to the many legal difficulties refugee children are faced with when trying to join official Lebanese schools. She had to interrupt her time at school for a month and was worried she wouldn’t find a way to finish her education. Baraa’s parents had major plans for the future of their kids, but were faced with a cruel reality when a fire took place in the refugee camp, leaving their children vulnerable and afraid of what’s coming next.
Baraa had always believed in the value of education. When she was about to lose her hopes in pursuing it further, her parents stepped in and encouraged her to join Jusoor’s school that was located in the refugee camp she was living in.
“My parents never stood against my education, bearing in mind they only reached 9th grade. Still, they wanted me to be doing the thing I love.”
Baraa started her new school a month after arriving in Lebanon. At first, she was anxious to be part of a new community, with new teachers, students, and a different curriculum. With the support of the team at Jusoor’s school, Baraa succeeded in engaging with her surroundings and started compensating for the time she spent away from school. Her teachers helped her navigate through the new curriculum, which helped her greatly in restoring her passion towards education and pushed her to perform excellently in her new school.
Sharing a room with 8 other family members, Baraa still managed to find a way to study regardless of the challenges. To avoid the chaos of her young siblings, she used to wake up at dawn to study in silence while everyone else was asleep. Moreover, Baraa eventually succeeded in inspiring her siblings, who were observing her daily commitment, to pursue their dreams of education.
The collaborative efforts of Jusoor’s school and Baraa’s parents complemented Baraa’s dream of continuing her scholastic journey. This year, she will undergo the official examinations of high school in Lebanon. When asked about the reason behind her commitment to education, Baraa replied with a powerful message:
“After years of hard work, you get to feel that you’ve managed to achieve something in your life, no matter how small it is.”
We are beyond proud of the resilience, strength and commitment shown by students like Baraa in our Refugee Education Program, and cannot wait to celebrate their future achievements.
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