MaryaMarya came to the camp 5 years ago with her parents and four siblings after losing their home in Al-Malikiyah, Syria. Although the high school at the Arbat camp operates on a limited schedule, with few books and materials, Marya continued to read on her own and supplement coursework whenever possible. As a result, she scored well enough to be admitted to AUIS in 2018 and looks forward to majoring in IT so she can attain a job which will enable her to support her family. Marya was use to work during her high school program, part time in Sulaimani for $5 per day to help her family with expenses.
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SalehSaleh is the second son of a family of 12 children. After his first year of studying Literature at Damascus University in Syria, he was forced to withdraw due to the war. At that point Saleh believed his hope of becoming an English teacher was lost. He was working construction and electrical maintenance in Sulaimani to support his family, when the possibility of A Brighter Future scholarship materialized in 2018. Saleh is tremendously excited to be back in school improving his English and pursuing his degree so he can one day be a teacher.
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Ahmed
Ahmed, 21 years old, is of a family of 9 children originally living in Afrin area, near Aleppo in Syria. His parents’ home and business were taken over by ISIS in 2014 and Ahmed, 16 years old at the time, had to flee alone to Sulaimanyah where his sister was living. In order to support his parents who staid in Syria he took a job in a bakery where he worked 16 hours per day every day for 3 years. In 2017 he decided to resume his 12th grade studies while still working at the bakery. His father passed away in 2018 from a heart attack. He managed to get his baccalaureate in 2019 in Arbat camp high school, the closest available for Syrian refugees in the region, with the highest score of his class.
Ahmed is extremely happy to benefit from Arbat Brighter Future scholarship. Her mother burst in tears when she heard the good news. His objective is to major in civil engineering and to become an architect. He said:” When I will get my first job, I will support financially Arbat Brighter Future program to allow other Syrian refugees to get the same opportunity as I. I don’t know how to thanks all the donors” |
Saliha
Saliha, 21 years old, is the youngest child of a family of nine. She used to live in Kobane, North East Syria, where she was studying in 12th grade. In September 2014 Kobane was heavily attacked by ISIS and most of the inhabitants had to flee to neighbouring Turkey, including Saliha and her family. In 2015 she moved to Bazian, near Sulaimanyah, Iraqi Kurdistan, with her father who was seeking for job opportunities. Although the later didn’t find any and had to return back to Turkey, she decided to stay in Bazian where she found jobs with NGO’s supporting refugees. In 2018 she decided to resume her 12th grade studies in Arbat camp high school, despite 4 hours commute by bus every day. Thanks to her perseverance and determination she managed to get her baccalaureate in July 2019 with a high score and to be selected among Arbat Brighter Future scholarship second wave awardees.
Saliha’s objective is to get a master degree and to open a medical lab in Syria or in Sulaimanyah |
Anas
Anas, 19 years old, is the youngest son of a family of 3 boys, the father being a carpenter, living in Hassake, North East Syria, till 2013 when his parents decided to leave the country in order to avoid the enrolment of their 3 sons by armed groups. The whole family ended up in Arbat camp and Anas had to interrupt his 7th grade studies for one year. Unless his two older brothers left without education opportunities, he managed to resume his studies within Arbat camp UNICEF school before joining the camp high school. He got his baccalaureate with a good score in July 2019. Anas objective is to get his AUIS degree as soon as possible in order to start supporting his family, his father being now jobless.
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Nurman
Nurman’s family was living in Damascus until they lost their home there and were obliged to escape first to Hassaka, North East Syria, then, in 2014, to Arbat camp, Iraqi Kurdistan.
Nurman’s parents are graduated from Syria universities and are both teachers. Education of their children is their first priority. Nurman got the highest score at the baccalaureate among 12th grade students in Arbat high school in 2020. She studied English by herself at home through Duolingo App. Nurma would like to become a doctor. And will take Medical Lab as major at AUIS. |
Dler
Dler, 18 years old, is from Qamishly, North East Syria.
Despite the war, his family staid in Syria until 2018 in order to take care of his sick grandmother. After she passed away, his parents decided to flee Syria with their two sons and to go to Iraqi Kurdistan. They settled first in Erbil and managed later on to join Arbat camp in Sulaimani where education institutions are better. Dler parents are both teachers and give upper importance to education for their sons: they were able to support them in their studies during Covid 19 times when Arbat school was shut down. Dler is fluent in English. He achieved a very good score in AUIS English test in 2020 which allowed him to join directly APP level 3. Dler wants to major in software engineering. His dream after graduation is to help rebuilding his country Syria. |
Hozan ChafeekHozan Chafeek, 17 years, is living in Arbat camp since 2018. Because of the war and the lack of jobs, his family moved in 2017 from Qamishli (NE Syria) to Erbil then to Arbat. He got the best mark at the baccalaureate in Arbat High School and managed to enter AUIS at APP level 3 thanks to his good level in English gained through personal effort. Hozan wants to major in Engineering.
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Ali MohammedAli Mohammed, 18 years old, arrived in 2013 with his family of 8 children in Sulaimani, where he lives now, his father lost his job in Damascus, they moved first to Qamishli then to Sulaimani. He commuted 4 hours every day to be able to study at Arbat High School. Ali got the second highest score of his class at the baccalaureate and he wants also to major in Engineering at AUIS. His ambition is to earn good money in order to help poor people.
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Sdra ShadiSdra Shadi, 17 years old, lives in Sulaimani and studied in Arbat High School. Her family left Syria in 2013 and went to Jordan from where they were rejected then they went to Iraqi Kurdistan. Sdra also commuted 4 hours everyday to Arbat High School which didn’t prevent her from earning high grades at the baccalaureate. She taught herself English on her own as well as piano and violin! She managed to enter AUIS at APP level 3. She wants to major in International Studies and to get a job where she can help people, “Help me to help people more”
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Dunya MuhiddinDunya Muhiddin, 17 years, is living in Arbat camp since 2013, after her family of 8 children left Qamishli. She is the seventh child of her family and very proud to be the first one to get the baccalaureate. She dreams to study at AUIS and to join a medical profession in a safe and peaceful country.
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Hiwa AbdelbakeeHiwa Abdelbakee, 18 years old, is also living in Arbat camp since 2013. Her family moved from Damascus to Qamishli in 2012 then to Sulaimani in 2013 before joining Arbat camp 18 months later for financial reasons. A couple of years ago she was selected by UWC Japan to join a summer camp in Japan, where she had the opportunity to improve her communication and leadership skills. Hiwa managed to enter AUIS at APP level 3, learning english on YouTube. She will go for Software Engineering major. Her ambition is to become an astronaut.
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Mariam SaudMariam is 17 years old and the oldest of a four-girl family. The family left Tueba in Rojava Syrian province to settle in Arbat camp in 2014. Her father was a teacher in Syria and works now as assistant of Arbat camp elementary school principal. Mariam got 98% at the baccalaureate and directly entered undergraduate program at AUIS. She speaks Kurdish, Arabic and English and is now learning Chinese. Although her dream was to become a doctor, which field is not taught at AUIS, she decided to go to AUIS an an IT major, believing the AUIS diploma will offer her better job and career opportunities.
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Gihan AzadGihan is 18 years old and is from a seven-children family, three of them being severely disabled. Her father works as a manual worker in construction sites. Gihan came from Syria to Arbat camp in 2013: she was only 9 years old. She achieved a 89% score at the baccalaureate and joined AUIS at APP level 3. Gihan’s priority is to complete her studies at AUIS as soon as possible in order to be able to help her family and particularly her three disabled sisters and brother.
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Mahi AbdelbakeeMahi is from a four-children family, from Damascus, who came to Arbat camp in 2014. She is now 18 years old. Her father works as a tailor and her mother is at home. Both parents support their kids for a higher education. Mahi achieved 83% score at the baccalaureate and, as Mariam, will join AUIS directly in undergraduate program thanks to her excellent level in English.
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Avin HanifAvin is 23 years old and has 4 brothers. Her family came to Suli in 2013 from Aleppo and then Afrin in Syria. Her father used to be an electronic equipment dealer in Syria and is currently working as a farmer. Avin had to interrupt her studies in 9th grade in Syria as her family was unsettled because of the war, moving several times in few years. However, she decided to resume her studies in 2019 at Arbat camp high school after she heard about ABF scholarship program. Very motivated, she got 81% score baccalaureate exam and was able to get level 3 at AUIS English test. Her goal after graduation is to help her family and other refugees for their studies. She likes reading books and playing guitar.
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Zineb HusseinZineb is 18 years old and is the oldest of a five-children family, who moved from Kobane, Syria to Suli in 2014. Her father was a trader in Syria. Currently he works occasionally in small jobs and has very little resources. Zineb got 80% at baccalaureate exam and joined AUIS in APP level 1. She likes drawing and singing.
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