This is a story of willpower and determination. It is a story of a Syrian young man who defied the odds and was able to achieve his dream, obtain his Baccalaureate and carry on towards higher education despite difficulties and challenges.

I was born in 1989 in Jober, a besieged district in Damascus. I am married with two young children and live with my parents. I am the breadwinner for my family as well as my parents.

We were displaced by the indiscriminate shells and rockets, fired by the regime into our area. we searched for a less dangerous place but couldn’t settle in one place and kept moving from one area to another. When the situation worsened in one area we moved to a new place. Moving the family and our luggage and other belongings was very costly, especially that we were living in a strictly besieged area and everything was running out. I moved houses more than five times within one year until I settled in the middle of this year when I was working hard preparing for my Baccalaureate.

In 2014, I decided to continue my education but I did not find a school or an institute to accept me after four years of dropping out of school. After long and tiring search, I found Anamel Al Ghouta Institute which I came across during my search. Thankfully, I managed to register with the Institute. However, I had a major obstacle concerning my journey to and from the Institute. I live in a very distant area and the only form of transport available to me is a bicycle with many problems which often let me down and caused me to be an hour late sometimes, especially during rainfall.

One of the challenges that I faced also is that at the beginning I couldn’t balance between my attendance at the institute and fulfilling other duties including work, home, family and parents. At the beginning things were very difficult and I needed a lot of patience but I was determined to continue what I have started to achieve my dream.

After hard work and with the help of my teachers, who worked very hard to compensate what we have missed during our out-of-school time, I managed to complete my primary (compulsory) education. the following year, I decided to continue my education and complete my secondary education (Baccalaureate). Thankfully, I was accepted in Anamel Al Ghouta Institute for my secondary education. despite the challenges that I faced, as I was married with various responsibilities, and the hard work which was required, I succeeded in my exams and attained the Baccalaureate Certificate with good grades which I hoped for.

It was with the help of my teachers, who stood at our side along the way, and my hard work and determination to achieve what I have dreamt about that helped me to overcome all challenges that I faced and at the end succeeded with good grades. Today, I am proudly stand in front of the Institute of Electronics as a student.

I would like to say to anyone who is desperate and fearing to move forward towards their dreams, it is never hard to achieve what you dream about and it is not impossible to overcome the challenges along the way. The only challenge you need to face, whatever the circumstances are, is you. Yes, you! When you challenge yourself with all your determination and persistence, nothing in the world will stop you from achieving your goal. If you don’t have willpower and determination, you won’t reach your goal no matter how long you wait.