By age 17, Zaynab was a refugee of three wars. Now, she’s telling her story.
Two years out of school was too long to wait.
By age 17, I was a refugee of three wars in three countries: Yemen, Somalia and Egypt. I felt like conflict followed me everywhere I went.
After receiving a visa to the United States, I joined my mother in our new home in Minnesota during the middle of a cold December. Two days later and without knowing much English, I enrolled in high school. They told me I could wait until the next term, but I said “I’ve already been out of school for two years. I can’t waste any more time.”
A year and a half later I was captain of my soccer team and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Today I am studying law at a women’s college so I can one day return to Yemen and serve my people as a human rights lawyer.
I know from experience that girls are the first to lose access to education when their country goes to war.
Last summer, I met Malala in Minneapolis. Following her words of encouragement to share my story, I travelled to New York City with Malala Fund to address world leaders on behalf of more than 10 million refugee children.
Education is our only hope for a better future. Yet, there are millions who can’t go to school. If my refugee sisters and brothers around the world are to rebuild our lives and our countries, we must have education.
Make a donation to Malala Fund today to give refugee girls like me the opportunity to learn.
Thanks,
Zaynab
