Fit for the Future

Palestinian, from Gaza; seeking Undergraduate degree in Mechatronics Engineering and is enrolled at Al-Azhar University.  

I am Tariq Alhasan, a 24-year-old
mechatronics graduate from Al-Azhar University, Gaza, Palestine.

I graduated in 2021 with a 3.0 GPA.

Unfortunately, my undergraduate degree is
embargoed because I owe the university and the ministry of education $6500 USD in
tuition fees and loans.

I have worked in many jobs: construction,
agriculture and even as an electrician since I was 16 years old.

As the eldest male in the family, I had to
simultaneously work and attend college to make ends meet.

When I graduated high school, I
wanted a major that is fit for the future, one that would ensure my employability and be an added
value to my community. Mechatronics was fit for my purpose. There are few mechatronics graduates in Gaza.
With the advance of technology and the reliance on sophisticated intelligent
systems and robotics, demand for mechatronics engineers will continue to grow,
and Gaza is no exception.

I want to be a part of a promising future
for Gaza, one where I hope to be able to
make a difference in my life and the life of my community.

Why Would Donors Fund You?

By funding me, donors will help a big community of
differently enabled human beings! I need my certificate to be able to work on
my plan!

I plan to create a new application to help those who are
differently enabled! I will focus on people with speech impairment, leveraging
the voice recognition technology in Arabic; I will localize the technology to
help transcribe their words into text to facilitate interaction and provide
them with access. It will open the door for them to be active members of their societies.

How Do You Plan to Payback?

I want to design assistive devices for mobility, hearing, and mentally/intellectually impaired persons in Gaza. I want to:

1. Leverage the world of robotics by building a robot to help those in need manage their daily tasks independently using locally sourced recycled materials.

2. Developing locally sourced and recycled hardware (wheelchairs) and software to facilitate access by Palestinian athletes with special needs to competitions (as provided for in the CRPD), to open the world of sports and recreational activities.

Volunteer Work/Social Capital

1- I volunteered with the Gaza Municipality to clean the streets and the seashore following the 2021 attack.

2- In Summer 2020, I successfully completed an unpaid internship in the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO).

3- In Summer 2021, I successfully completed an unpaid internship in the Habboush Company for maintaining electrical and electronic devices.

What Have You Done to Improve Yourself? Awards and Achievements

March 2022 to date

· Dair Al-Balah Vocational Training Center
· Solar Energy Systems Design and Maintenance
Arduino programming

January 2022

· Water and Sanitation Department, Zawaida Municipality

· Certificate in Remote Operations and Maintenance of Sewage Pumps and Water Wells

December 2021

· Mechatronics Engineering Training Diploma: 120 training hours 10/30/21- 01/30/22 The Palestinian Engineers Association

. ICDL Certificate: 40 training hours, 10/120/’21 to 12/04 /’21. Tech Box Foundation