Introducing Amala High School Diploma student and #DOTYouth: Mohammad S.

“I see many people that try to say you can’t do it, you are a refugee, but I don’t mind them. I just work to achieve my goals and that is what I think about” 

We are delighted to share the news that Mohammad, one of our pioneering Amala High School Diploma students has been selected by Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) as a top influential figure who supports youth, refugees and education during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introducing Mohammad & Expatriate Student Affairs (ESA)

Originally from Syria, Mohammad arrived in Jordan in 2013. Mohammad explained that when Syrian refugees first arrived in Jordan, many believed they would return home in one or two years, and therefore saw education as “not important [a priority] like it is now.” But after some time, many Syrians started searching for employment and educational opportunities and faced significant barriers. “Here in Jordan, there are very few opportunities for refugees - especially educational opportunities. It was a big challenge for refugees because education here is not free.”

The challenge Mohammad faced in trying to continue his education in Jordan inspired him to launch his own initiative to help others in similar situations. In 2015, Mohammad founded Expatriate Student Affairs (ESA) out of a desire to use his personal experience to help others return to learning. ESA primarily works to help refugees discover accessible external courses and scholarships, and provide guidance on how to take up these opportunities. While ESA was previously named Syrian Student Affairs, it was renamed to encourage those of any nationality, not just Syrians, to seek their services. “It will be an initiative for everyone”, Mohammad explained. 

ESA mainly utilises social media to share these opportunities. With over 6000 followers on Facebook, it is clear that there is a real need for ESA’s work. In the past, ESA has also offered its own courses on topics such as digital literacy, time management, business, and English speaking and listening. 

Mohammad has 6 volunteers who help him run ESA.  Besides conducting online research, the volunteers also bring their personal experiences to the table; this allows ESA to provide context-specific support - such as understanding Jordanian regulations. 

The Amala High School Diploma 

Mohammad was selected to join the Amala High School Diploma Programme (AHSD) in June 2020, alongside 24 other inspiring youth from six different countries to form the first cohort in Amman, Jordan. When asked about his reasons for applying for the AHSD, he explained, “My main motivation [to apply] was to develop my English language skills and to gain a new experience in education with people from other countries and backgrounds. My motivation increased when I saw the titles of the courses such as Social Entrepreneurship and Peacebuilding.” After all, Mohammad is a firm believer that education is crucial in “creating generations that create peace and sustainable development”. 

Mohammad has now completed the first two modules of the AHSD and is already putting what he has learned into action; “I apply everything I learn with Amala to be an effective person in my community, and help others. It’s an amazing program, it’s really bigger than a diploma program. I hope this program will make a real change here in the Middle East, and change all the bad ideas people have about peace and refugees.”

DOT’s guidance and Mohammad’s goals for Expatriate Student Affairs (ESA)

When education centres across Jordan closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mohammad wanted to help ensure youth in Jordan were still receiving the support they needed. That was when he discovered Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT). 

With headquarters in Canada and offices all over the world, DOT works to “support youth to become innovators and leaders, and to create and apply digital solutions that have positive impact in their communities”. Drawn to DOT’s mission, Mohammad joined the DOTYouth Street Team, “a coordinated support network of youth in Africa and the Middle East who are responding to COVID-19 with needs-based interventions”. 

Through participating in DOT training sessions, as well as regular meetings with his coach, Mohammad has been able to reexamine ESA’s decisions and set more specific goals and plans. For instance, Mohammad hopes to utilise partnerships with other like-minded organisations, such as UNESCO, Kiron, and Amala to reach more refugee youth. In fact, in 2019, Mohammad was awarded a scholarship from UNESCO to study a year-long business program, which he completed with distinction. More recently, he was selected by UNESCO to speak as a representative of Syrian youth in Jordan on a webinar dedicated to acknowledging the first observance of the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attacks (September 9th). With ESA’s sustainability in mind, he will also work to grow his team; he especially hopes some fellow Amala students will join him. To highlight the team’s values, ESA will also change its name to “Youth For Peace”.

Mohammad also believes working with DOT has positively impacted his mindset: “Actually, I became a person who was more enthusiastic and believed in my goals, the training was a real motivation for me.” Being part of a team of youth with similar aspirations has also been very powerful for him. “My colleagues’ ideas were close to my ideas as they work to support vulnerable and marginalised groups in their societies. I have become a person who believes in my message in life and supports everything I can for people who deserve help, support and guidance. I used to feel that I was a person with limits to my ambition, but after this experience, I do not think so at all.” Mohammad also revealed that he recently feels a greater sense of responsibility. “Many of my friends and people around me tell me that I can get a better opportunity in other countries, but I think that it’s my responsibility to stay here and stay supportive to others to help them and to make a real change in this community.”

Juggling his responsibilities

In addition to running ESA and studying the AHSD, Mohammad also volunteers as a student advisor for non-profit Paper Airplanes. For a few hours a week, he meets with three students from Jordan and Syria to provide academic and career support such as resume writing and developing interview skills.

With all of this work on his plate, we were curious about how he was managing the AHSD alongside his other work and initiatives. Mohammad explained that he appreciates the flexibility Amala provides, “It’s just two days a week. It goes well with my time and work.” He then jokes, “I make courses about time management, I know how to manage my time!” Nonetheless, we at Amala are in awe of Mohammad’s initiative and diligence.

Find out more

Listen to Mohammad speak at the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attacks webinar here (full recording) or here (Mohammad’s speech).

Check out ESA’s Facebook page here.