Introducing Amala High School Diploma Student: Shahed

When Shahed was unable to obtain her high school diploma in Jordan, she left school and started working to save up for a second chance. She knew that without a high school diploma, the possibility of achieving her goal of studying at a university was slim. Shortly after leaving school, however, Shahed sustained a neck injury that left her in hospital for months. Those long months of recovery left her feeling frustrated and unmotivated. As an avid rugby player, being told she would never play rugby again was all the more devastating. 

Six months after her accident, her friend brought the Amala High School Diploma Programme (AHSD) to her attention. Although she was not actively looking for an opportunity to continue her education at the time, she believes it was the push she needed to get back on her feet. Shahed remembers thinking to herself, “I have a second chance, so I need to use it." Months into the AHSD, her resolve and determination have not faltered. 

Ultimately, Shahed hopes the AHSD will take her one step closer to achieving her goal of studying sports science at university. She believes the emotional hardship she faced throughout her recovery process will allow her to be more empathetic towards her future clients. In fact, this ambition was born out of her recovery experience, where she often wished her doctors better understood her; Shahed felt her doctors didn't recognise the extent to which she would work to get back on the field. 

Shahed demonstrated her relentlessness when backed up against all odds the day she returned to playing rugby. After getting back in shape, despite not being the most skilled player on the team, her coach selected her as the team captain. “At first, the girls doubted me. And I also doubted myself.” However, Shahed feels she has since been able to gain their trust and respect, as well as “become more confident”. 

While she never lacked passion for the sport, she believes that without the AHSD she would not have been able to develop the skills and qualities to build such a relationship with her teammates. She explains, “I’m surprised at who I’ve become. Last year, I wasn’t this person. I never thought about being an ethical leader. Before, I used to get kind of aggressive. Now, they notice that I’m more calm. I think before I talk, and I now listen.” She believes the AHSD has enabled her to develop these qualities and habits. 

As for her growth in confidence, Shaed explains, “The way they made us talk to each other at Amala made me more confident. I used to talk very fast because I got nervous in front of people.” With a smile, she then reveals that before this interview, she found herself marvelling at her lack of nerves.

Shahed is now a leader on and off the rugby field. Her teammates often approach her to talk about the challenges they are facing; “Sometimes, people just want you to listen to them,” she explains. Shahed is also someone her teammates trust to help resolve conflicts. “I try to teach them how to not be so aggressive, and how to listen to each other. I tell them to let it out on the field instead of on their teammates.” She hopes that by continuing to share what she is learning through the AHSD with her teammates, they will learn to further support each other and focus on enjoying the sport that brought them together. 

While Shahed has enjoyed the AHSD so far, she hasn't forgotten her first day in class where she feared she wasn’t welcome. She was excited to get back to learning and found the facilitators “incredible”. But she couldn’t help worrying that some girls were judging her on her attire, and so she hesitated to talk to them. After leaving the class, Shahed realised it was up to her to give the girls a chance to get to know her. “I wanted them to know that even if I’m different, I’m still a good person and that we can be friends.” Perhaps it is also this courage to share such vulnerable reflections that make Shahed a leader that others can trust. 

As a Jordanian national, Shahed is an example of Amala’s aim to not only cater to out-of-school displaced youth but also to those in the host community who have been unable to complete their secondary education. The Diploma Programme is committed to engaging these students to better bridge the gap in quality education in areas of the world, such as Jordan, who have opened their doors to young refugees.