Dentist by Training, Community Healer by Passion

Syrian, from Latakia; seeking Undergraduate degree in Global Health and Social Justice and is enrolled at King's College London.  

I am a 25 year-old dentist from Latakia, Syria who, instead of just drilling for cavities, wants to drill down into the cracks in our system to find ways to achieve lasting community health. My interest in public health was sparked by my first interaction with dental patients in the 4th year of my degree. This experience highlighted the population’s deteriorating health and I started noticing the diversity of factors affecting each patients' medical conditions. I began doing online health courses, attending health policy conferences, and spending hours delving into textbooks to explore the connection between public health, sociology and related fields. But I aspire to so much more than what this ad-hoc studying will allow. So I applied for a MSc degree in Global Health and Social Justice at King's College London. This degree fits my skills and aspirations perfectly, interweaving health with social sciences, just like the interwoven realities my patients face. Combining my background with the knowledge gained from this degree and the connections made in the UK, I would be able to lead efforts to improve the population’s health immediately, including creation of an NGO to promote good physical AND mental health. While I’ve been accepted to several international programs, the opportunity to go to the globally-renowned King’s College would allow me to put my skills and vision into action to make a significant and sustainable contribution to society in Syria and around the world.

Why Would Donors Fund You?

I am highly driven to lead transformational efforts on major global challenges: health and inequality. Donations will not only enable my degree - they will take me to the next step of my journey to contribute globally to health and social justice. I plan to create an organization and dedicate my life to building a healthier, more equitable world for all.

How Do You Plan to Payback?

First, I will share my experiences and lessons learned with refugees and other vulnerable youth across the Middle East on how to access degree programs that will help them achieve their dreams. Furthermore, I will use what I learn in the Global Health and Social Justice degree to improve knowledge and initiatives on these critical topics in the Syrian scholar community. Throughout my journey to contribute globally to health and social justice, I will pay back the community with much more than I receive, dedicating my life to building a healthier, more equitable world for all.

Volunteer Work/Social Capital

I have volunteered for numerous local and international groups since 2017. My volunteering experiences are thus very diverse, ranging from volunteering with the Autism association in my city for two years, to being an ambassador for the Sharing Perspectives Foundation. I am one of the founding members of the World BEYOND War Youth Network, and I am the partnerships officer with the Advocates for Gender Equality Initiative. Additionally, I recently started volunteering with Evidence Aid, and am volunteering my time, knowledge and guidance for a community health course for refugees being created by InZone and the University of Geneva.

What Have You Done to Improve Yourself? Awards and Achievements

I have completed over 65 online courses and exchanges in global public health, peacebuilding and related fields. I am a member of the U.S. Department of State's and Stevens Initiative's Alumni Network, and a certified online dialogue facilitator with Soliya and the UN. I was awarded a 750 CHF scholarship to attend the online course “Addressing Challenges to Global Health Security” at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. The five-page list of all my continuous learning and achievements can be found here.