“We are facing the biggest refugee and displacement crisis of our time. Above all, this is not just a crisis of numbers; it is also a crisis of solidarity.” – Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary-General
To our fellow Princetonians,
The Princeton Clay Project and the Princeton Refugee Project began working last year, in a joint effort of undergraduate and graduate students, to sponsor a Syrian refugee student’s education in a Jordanian university.
The refugee crisis has had a devastating effect on Syrian students. Before war turned their world upside down, these students’ lives looked much like our own: high school seniors planning their college path; second-year nursing students studying for exams; graduating college seniors only credits shy of their degree. War has deferred their dreams and put their lives on hold. In host countries like Jordan, many Syrian youth have been living in refugee camps for more than four years – enough time to complete a full university degree – without any higher education opportunities.
The Princeton community came together to support this cause through the Jusoor-Amal Scholarship fund. Together, we organized everything from films to speakers to yoga classes in order to raise awareness about the needs of Syrian refugees and gather funds to provide the scholarship. Many of you gave your talents, energy, and funds to these events; we came together to try to make a difference for a fellow student.
We are happy to say that, thanks to your support, we have provided our first scholarship this year to an inspiring Syrian refugee youth in Jordan!
Nowar, a 28-year old female student living in Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan has been selected as our scholarship recipient. Nowar was born in raised in Deraa, Syria. She’s the oldest of six, and after high school, she worked to support her family, while holding onto her dream of continuing her education. She saved money and prepared herself to attend university. Yet, as the war broke out, those plans fell apart. Deraa became a place full of violence and danger, and Nowar fled with her family to Jordan in 2012.
Nowar quickly became a young leader in the Za’atari Refugee Camp community. She splits her time between heading a leadership program for adolescent girls, and volunteering at a clinic for children with disabilities. She supports an inclusive theater program that engages children in theater as a means to build confidence and promote more inclusive communities for people with disabilities.
Nowar held onto her dream of continuing her education, even as the years passed in the camp. She took advantage of all the informal education courses offered in the camp, from English Language, to Conflict Resolution, to Office Management.
With this scholarship, Nowar will attend Zarqa University in Jordan. She plans to pursue a degree in English Language and Literature, with the aim of pursuing a career in international relations. Nowar hopes to use her education to serve her family, community, and country.
We invite all of you, our Princeton community, to celebrate this wonderful news at our kick-off event this Thursday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m. at Murray Dodge Cafe. Come to learn more about Nowar, the Princeton Clay Project and the Princeton Refugee Project while enjoying live music and spoken word poetry.
The success thus far reaffirms the ability of Princetonians to break the stereotype of the insular orange bubble, to notice and care about larger events going on around the world. We hope that more of our fellow classmates will join us in our efforts in order to make future scholarships truly a shared undertaking of the entire community.
In gratitude,
The Princeton Clay Project
Mariachiara Ficarelli, Avigail Gilad '19, and Iris Samuels '19
The Princeton Refugee Project
Ken Sofer GS, Julia Reed GS, and Julianne Whittaker GS
Master in Public Affairs candidates, Woodrow Wilson School for Public & International Affairs
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