I am the person who believes strongly in the power of faith, that one must have a strong relationship with God and believe in themselves and their abilities, seizing every opportunity that comes their way.
My name is Nawras, and I am proudly a graduate of SOS Children's Villages Jordan- Aqaba Children's Village.
How long did I live in the village? I was 5 years old. Now I am 24 years old and studying Occupational education and public safety at Aqaba University of Technology. I want to tell you a little about my journey, starting from a young age to becoming a confident individual who knows what he wants.
Everything I remember from my childhood was in Aqaba Children's Village, the place where I grew up, ate, played, and matured with my mother, Sohair, and my siblings. We always played and rejoiced together. I will never forget coming home from school and taking a nap, and my mother waking me up, saying, "I have a surprise for you!" She would bring me some sweets, such as "Awameh" or "Knafeh," or she would make "Harissa" because I loved sweets with sugar syrup. I really enjoyed playing the game "You're the Mom Today." My mom used to play this game with us to nurture our sense of responsibility and make us self-reliant. Each of us would take turns being in charge of the house for a day, deciding what we're having for lunch, and taking care of our siblings to make sure everything was in order, all under the supervision of our mom. We only played this game on weekends so as not to disrupt our school routine.
I loved it when my brothers and sisters and I would have family meetings to discuss our problems and seek advice from each other. I will never forget cooking together with my mom and having lunch together as a family. The family atmosphere is truly something unique.
I am now a university student, but I didn't get here on my first attempt. I didn't pass the Tawjihi (the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination in Jordan) exams on my first try, nor the second. It was only the third time, and thanks to God, it was the last time. The joy of passing those exams is a joy I can't put into words; it's an extraordinary joy. Why was I so determined to get that certificate? Because in my opinion, the Tawjihi certificate is like a passport; either you stay where you are, or you strive, succeed, and achieve what you want. I wanted to succeed, reach my goal, and build the future I deserve.
I took the Taawjihi exams three times, and if it weren't for the grace of God and the support of the association, I wouldn't have been able to retake them. They stayed with me, supported me every step of the way, and encouraged me to continue, along with the support of my family and everyone in the village. I was able to study, excel, pass the exams, and continue my path to university. When I entered university, I discovered that it was more than wonderful; it was an experience that shaped my personality, helped me get to know many people, developed my interpersonal skills, and allowed me to integrate into the community in a special way.
Today, I am a university student majoring in Occupational education and public safety at Aqaba University of Technology. In the near future, with God's help, I plan to start my own business. And I'm proud to tell you that my brother Asad, who was with me in the village, got married and became a father to the most beautiful child in the world, and I became an uncle!
Allow me to express my gratitude to the association, my loving mother who raised and inspired me, and my brothers and sisters who have always been my support. Without the support of God and your assistance, I would not have been able to study, work on my own, raise the bar of my ambitions, and continue my journey all the way up. Besides the integrated support you provided, the psychological support was one of the most important things that affected me, and with God's help, I will continue to achieve my goals, and build the future I deserve.
To all the young men and women out there, I advise you to hold on to faith, be with God, believe in your abilities, and never say the words "difficult" or "impossible." Seize every opportunity you find; the world is waiting for you to shine!