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Lebanese, from Bogota; seeking Undergraduate degree in Clinical psychology and is enrolled at Lebanese University.  

My name is Karen waked, a 20-year-old senior student, psychology major, from Lebanon.

I intend to pursue a master's degree in psychotherapy at the Lebanese University in Beirut.

My parents were divorced when I was 7. I was raised by a single mom who worked 24/7 to put food in the table. Growing up, I tried my best to mitigate the impact of my father's absence on my wellbeing. I convinced myself that my mom was enough, that I was not broken. I experienced conflicting feelings. I thought that I managed to be a "perfectly normal child". It took me a while to admit that I was scarred. Therapy opened my wounds. It healed me in a way I never imagined was possible.

I want every child who survives his parents divorce to have this opportunity.

My mother worked multiple jobs, to provide my siblings and myself with a decent life. She made me believe in myself. I want to achieve what my mom wanted to be. She only finished high school, and never attended college. I learned from her that I can achieve my dreams if I worked hard enough. I had faith in my abilities and felt that I am slotted for a bigger role in life.
I want people to avoid short-selling themselves, to believe in their potential the way mom believed in me. I felt fortunate to have escaped childhood trauma because of the way my mother held our family together.

Not every girl who lived through parental divorce gets this lucky. My goal is to focus on family therapy to make sure that children of divorced parents escape this trauma unscathed. This will be the course I want my professional life to take with your help.

Why Would Donors Fund You?

"Like a Bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down"

Our community handles marital and related children problems as private matters. They rarely resort to professional help to resolve problems broken families face.

I was introduced to therapy late in my life, and it did me wonders. I believe I have the ability to change peoples' lives to the better.
I feel I have the ability to heal. I want to provide the community with the counseling they can trust, that could help them overcome the challenges that broken homes pose.

How Do You Plan to Payback?

I want to specialize in clinical psychology to help victims of abuse and violence, and provide a safe environment where they can freely express their concerns without fear of retribution.

I will provide free therapy sessions to those who cannot afford the fees. I will lobby the community to fund safe houses for victims of abuse.

I will also organize public awareness campaigns about family counseling, mental health and violence and abuse against women and children.

Volunteer Work/Social Capital

• Content creator and suicide hot line volunteer at Maybells institution
• Helped during Beirut explosion
• Volunteer in scouts as a leader for raising a better generation
• Volunteered with ' hearts of light', an institution for children with disabilities
• Volunteered with Hand-in-hand Organization to raise fund
  for people in need
• Offered free psychology courses on ' Hear My Complain', a FB online page, & in person with my scouting team

What Have You Done to Improve Yourself? Awards and Achievements

• Tutor students including mentally challenged students.
• Leadership workshop at Action Aids Institution
• .Schizophrenia Workshop
• Radio Workshop at Sada institution
• .How to be a better parent workshop
• A journey to change workshop
• Psychology online first aid course on EDX