The landmarks on the road to the dreams that Khadija Rahmon held onto to pursue her education have vanished. With the recent wave of displacement that swept through vast areas of rural Idlib, Khadija packed her books, gathered her belongings, and embarked on a journey with the people of the region in search of safety. Her journey led her to the village of Batinta in northern Idlib.
Life’s hardships shatter dreams
After settling in her new home, Khadija’s chances of continuing her education dwindled. The difficulties of life and the search for livelihood consumed her, just like thousands of displaced individuals who lost their villages and sources of income.
Khadija spent eight hours a day operating fig packaging machines in her new job. After work, she would return home to assist her mother with sewing, in order to support the family’s needs.
During this period, Khadija’s concerns about continuing her education and staying on the path to her dream haunted her. However, the absence of free educational centers near her new residence and her family’s inability to afford the transportation costs to another location pushed her to dismiss those concerns. Yet, they would resurface in her imagination from time to time, as she would sketch her dreams within her room and live some waking dreams in school desks, hoping her desire of reaching university would come true, relying on her mother’s occasional encouragement.
Read too: The Story of Determination and Success: Suad Returns to Education After 38 Years
A Window of Hope and a Return to the Road of Dreams
Khadija heard about Masarat initiative and felt that it was created for people like her who desire to pursue their education and engage in their daily activities. The beacon of hope sparkled in her eyes once again.
She joined Masarat initiative, which provided her with the opportunity to learn from home and offered all educational services free of charge. More than ten specialized teachers supervised the curriculum Khadija received, guiding her step by step on the road to her dream and overcoming the challenges she faced.
Masarat Holds Your Hand
Khadija’s story is one of thousands of stories within Syrian households, reflecting the burning desire of individuals to return to school desks. However, the difficulties of life and work have stood as obstacles, hindering them from achieving their dreams. But Masarat came and shattered those obstacles, reopening the door to achieving dreams by providing free services to Syrian students, such as educational services, student activities, academic counseling, and more.
Masarat relies on the Microsoft Teams application to deliver its services to all Syrians, focusing on the most vulnerable groups in society, including orphans, the poor, people with special needs, and those who have been out of education for long periods. Masarat has benefited 18,000 students so far.
