‘I will never stop dreaming’ – Our new education project for girls

In June, we launched a new education, skills and community empowerment project at Domiz 2 camp, which is enabling girls to build their literacy and language abilities and learn practical crafts.

The project is supported by the Angus Lawson Memorial Trust (ALMT), which works with organisations like The Lotus Flower to help improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people.

Set to reach 150 girls in total, they are each taking part in a two-month programme that combines literacy and language classes with handicraft activities, as well as community awareness sessions on topics like gender quality and the importance of education. 

For girls growing up in displacement, the project also provides a valuable opportunity to foster friendships, increase their confidence and develop the skills they need to start working towards brighter futures.

Here, we are pleased to share more about the positive impacts experienced by some of the participants so far…

Rawan: “I felt safe and happy”

After fleeing Syria with her family, 14-year-old Rawan spent her early childhood living in tents in camp. “My mother tells me how hard it was – the extreme heat in summer and the bitter cold in winter,” she says. “We didn't have a room of our own, there was no milk for me as a baby, and when I got older there was no safe place for me to play.”

Rawan is now in seventh grade and enjoys horse riding and listening to music, while maths and English are her favourite subjects. But studying in camp can be difficult, especially as there are few safe places to study independently.

“In the camp there is no child-friendly space, not even a library where we can get books,” she explains. “These challenges affected me a lot.”

After signing up to the project, Rawan took part in Arabic language sessions and attended awareness sessions. She found that the course lifted her mood, expanded her knowledge and helped her form new friendships, while also giving her access to a space she could feel secure in.

“While I was at the centre, I felt safe and happy,” she says. “The awareness sessions were very useful, and motivated me to hold on to my education even more.”

Rawan now has a clear ambition for later life. “My dream is to become a general surgeon and help people who are poor and in need,” she says.

Lorin: “My confidence has grown”

Fifteen-year-old Lorin fled Syria with her family in 2013, and though she does not remember her earliest years, she grew up hearing her parents yearn for their lost freedom. “My family always talk about the safety they dreamed of in Syria,” she says.

As one of nine children, life in a cramped home has been extremely hard, and three years ago, she left school.

But after joining the English course on the programme, Lorin soon noticed improvements in her spoken language, and during the handicraft sessions she learned to make beaded bags and bracelets and decorate mirrors for special occasions, which she eventually hopes to sell so she can earn an income.

Lorin’s experiences have also revived her longer-term ambitions. “I love animals,” she says. “I'm going to continue my education this year so I can become a vet and open my own clinic.”

Perhaps most importantly, Lorin now feels differently about herself. “I feel happy when I come to the centre, because my negative energy fades away here. My confidence has grown because I've been able to learn so much.”

Dilzin: “I will never stop dreaming”

Dilzin, 14, was born in a camp, and like so many other girls her age she has never known life outside displacement. One of five children, she attended school for just two years, and left at the end of second grade.

“The decision that was made for me came as a shock, and I still haven't got over it,” she says. “When I see my friends going to school and learning, and each of them tells me about the career she dreams of, I feel something missing inside me.”

Her childhood was also shaped by the lack of safe places to enjoy normal pursuits. “As a little girl, I didn't have toys or dolls, and there was no space to play,” she says. “I didn't get to live my childhood the way I should have.”

When Dilzin saw her friends attending The Lotus Flower centre, she decided to join them.

She began with literacy lessons and also took English classes. When she arrived, she did not know the alphabet, but within two months, she quickly progressed.

“I didn't even know the letters, but after two months I had learned the alphabet and how to pronounce it, and some simple words and sentences,” she says. “That really boosted my confidence.”

Dilzin has also seen her independence grow in other ways, and she has learned how to use a phone for the first time and send text messages.

In the craft classes, she enjoyed making beaded bags and other items, and now creates her own designs at home, while also helping her mother with household chores.

“When I come to the centre, I feel at ease and my confidence is high, and the boredom I used to feel all day is gone,” she says. “My biggest dream is to go back to school and become a heart doctor. I know it may seem impossible, but I will never stop dreaming it.”

Dilzin is also determined that other girls should not lose the opportunities she was denied. “From my own experience, I never want to see a single girl without an education,” she says. “I want all of them to learn and grow.”