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Opening up a world of education

Children love to learn. If they are denied access to knowledge, we also deny them the opportunity to change their lives for the better.

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Stronger than Conflict: My Commitment to Education

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My name is Athar Ahmed. I am 21 years old and live in Gaza. In 2014, conflict severely injured many of my relatives and killed my father and uncle. That experience has changed my life forever.

I have a love of languages, I speak Arabic, English and Turkish. Growing up, I had dreams of becoming a writer or a poet. My father was my inspiration, and he always encouraged me. But since his death, I have struggled to write anything. For me, education is like food or fuel--an energy that gives me the power to keep going. It is my refuge and my salvation after each experience of conflict in Gaza.

I was fortunate to be a participant in the Dynamic Futures Scholarship programme, which is supported by Al Fakhoora and the Education Above All Foundation. With their help, I was able to graduate from the Islamic University of Gaza with a degree in English Literature. I hope to continue my education and get a master's degree. I am currently an intern at Gaza Sky Geeks, the first education technology hub in Gaza. I am learning many things and want to increase my professional skills.

More than anything else, I want to continue to tell the world my story and the stories of many others like me. This week, my friends from Gaza and I participated in a panel discussion at the WISE Summit, where we shared our stories of how conflict and war have impacted our lives and shaped our identities. Despite these obstacles, we are committed to using our inherent resilience and sense of defiance to advocate for a better future for ourselves, our families and our communities in Gaza.

Photo: © EAA/Paddy Dowling

Impact

"Humanity will not overcome the immense challenges we face unless we ensure that children get the quality education that equips them to play their part in the modern world." -- HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser

Surpassing

19 million

beneficiaries across all programmes of Education Above All Foundation

10,687

Scholarships

90%

retention rate

2.6 million+

Skills training provided to teachers, school staff, and community members

1 million+

Youth Empowered