November 2019

Project Turquoise in partnership with edSeed, has committed to support 4 Syrian refugees who have graduated with honors. Once our youth committee showed desire, effort, and commitment to help the students they met and worked with at Camp Zaatari, PT worked diligently to find a partner to fulfill this effort.  edSeed, a youth-focused venture philanthropy fund, invests in youth programs and startups; promoting education and innovation in disruptive technologies.

PT has worked closely with edSeed to go through a selection process of Syrian refugee high school students that applied to the edSeed program and showed commitment to education, academic excellence, and the pursuit of a life of independence and dignity. Four students have been selected and are now being sponsored by our fundraising efforts and edSeed’s scholarship program.

Meet our students:

Dania, Pharmacy school (class of 2024) 

Dania has lived in Camp Zatarri for refugees in Jordan since 2012 with her mother and siblings.  Her father did not leave Syria.  She has been in school at the camp and has taken on activities supported by NOGs such as social impact plays, computer training, and remedial educational training.

In her words:   

“We endured tremendous pain. We lost everything, our home, our livelihood, and our country.  But we did not despair. With little but our selves to depend on, we felt that the best way for our country to rise again is for us to be educated so that we can rebuild it. I want to become a pharmacist.

I want to become a pharmacist. I want to be independent and to be the master of my own destiny. I can do that if I have a solid career.”

Inas; English Literature (class of 2024)

Inas has lived in Camp Zattari.  She has not stopped going to school and has been active in activities offered by NGOs at the camps.  She is a Tae Kwon Do champion, loves photography, and engineer.  She is now interested in becoming an English major with focus on Psychology, Accounting, or Socialogy.

In her own words:

“ I believe that I have what it takes to be the strong and independent woman I dream of becoming if I continue my education. I want to rebuild my war ravaged country, Syria.

Higher education is a big dream for most girls . Yet to many, it is a dream so hard to achieve. This becomes more difficult when we are displaced because of war. To be a woman, a refugee, and to get to college is impossible. Most women give up their dream because of the challenges.

Not me.

Obtaining this scholarship is my only hope. Without it I will never be able to go to college as a refugee and as a woman.

I hope you can help me be the woman I dream of becoming.”

Ziad, Accounting (class of 2024)

Ziad has lived in Camp Zaatari since 2012 with his family.  When possible, he found time to go to school and not give up his dream of working with numbers. He has consistently scored high in math and is usually in the top 5 percentile.  He is an avidsoccer player with 18 medals under his belt and an MVP goalie award.  Ziad is well recognized for his artistic ability as well.  Some of us on the 2018 youth service trip exchange have seen his drawings and paintings first hand.  They are just amazing.  He has volunteered to help paint murals around Camp Zaatari and was a major contributor of Project Turquoise mural at Camp Zaatari.

In his own words:

“I dream of becoming an accountant. I had 9 friends in Syria. We pledged to be friends for life and go to college together. Today I am the only one alive.

I want to be an accountant. I feel that there will always be work opportunities in this field. I am confident that I will excel because I am working in a field I like.

I have always believed in persevering to overcome challenges no matter how difficult life gets. My goals are ambitions, but I am fully determined to pursue my dreams to the end.

I really want to go to college. Please help me make my dream a reality.”

Ammar, Nursing School (class of 2024 )

Ammar has being living in Camp Zaatari with his family.  One of his brothers passed the college entrance exam but could not attend due to lack of funding.    Ammar ahs beeng attending school at the camp and working.  His hard work and involvement in extra curriculum activities have been recognized.

In his own words:

“If I get a scholarship, I would like to study nursing.  I want to feel good about healing others. I also feel that employment prospects in this profession are promising.

If I were to graduate college, I will be the first member of my family to hold a university degree. I would like to thank the sponsors for promoting a positive competitive attitude among candidates.”

 

Be sure to head over to edSeed to learn more about our partnership with them. We hope that you are moved after hearing from our scholarship recipients and will join us in helping them to fulfill their goal of receiving a higher education.