Three students share how pursuing higher education has transformed their lives.
Today, as we recognize the International Day of Education, we’re reflecting on this year’s theme, “changing course, transforming education.” Education has the power to unlock potential and is a critical link between earning and building a sustainable future. It plays a particularly transformative role in the lives of refugees, creating opportunities for students to develop their skills and change the course of their lives for the better and become agents of change in their own communities.
SNHU GEM students have accomplished remarkable things; from producing public education campaigns to leading community health programs, despite employment and housing challenges. Today, SNHU GEM is celebrating displaced students working toward their degrees.
SNHU GEM student Austine puts his audio production skills to work developing public education campaigns for refugee communities at the Kakuma Refugee Camp’s radio station in Kenya. In this testimonial, Austine explains how SNHU GEM is enabling him to pursue his dream of one day owning his own radio station.
As a Syrian refugee living in the isolated region of Aarsal, Lebanon, Mahmoud found a network of peers that encouraged him and supported each other’s goals through the SNHU GEM program. “When I started the scholarship, I met people like me – persons who believe in the power of knowledge.” He discusses the challenges of being a refugee in Lebanon and the rewards of pursuing his associate degree and BA in Business Management through SNHU GEM.
Using the knowledge gained while pursuing his BA in Healthcare Management, Pascal built an organization that educates refugees from the Kakuma Refugee Camp about community health issues and disease prevention. Pascal describes how his SNHU GEM education enables him to grow the organization and help the most vulnerable members of his community.
