"Vision with action can change the world " Nelson Mandela .

Syrian, from Damascus; seeking Undergraduate degree in Pharmacy and is enrolled at Philadelphia University .  

Hello everyone 

My name is Sara Khatib, I'm 17 years old from Syria. 

I left Syria with my family when I was 10 and we moved to Jordan. We left behind our house, friends, memories, everyone and everything we loved and cared for. We left not because we wanted to but because we had to. We left because of the war. 

I remained focused. I never lost sight of my goal in life: to work hard and be successful in order to rebuild my life and one day hopefully go back and rebuild my country. 

I focused on my studies but continued to recite the Quran at school. I also liked drawing.

In my spare time, I volunteered in many activities. One of my favorite activities was visiting orphanages, and spending quality time with children. I also used to visit  Al-Mafraq refugee camp, to distribute supplies and other basic needs to residents.

I took part in a medical campaign organized by Islamic Help, an organization that arranged for free of charge surgeries to Syrian refugees in Jordan. I helped prepare patients prior to surgery and also to check on them during post-op recovery.

I scored 94.2% in my high school exams.

My hard work at school and involvement in all extracurricular activities paid off. Many of my teachers acknowledged my good academic standing and stamina.

Having recognized that college education is way beyond our financial means, my teachers raised 70% of my tuition fees for the first semester at the School of Pharmacy at Philadelphia University.

I hope I can count on you to continue my studies. Your generosity will shine a light on our lives and push away the ugly shadows of war that destroyed our future.  

I will never forget that it will be my turn to pay back when I graduate. 

Dream and Mission Statement

My name is Sara Khatib I'm 17 years old, one of thousands of Syrian girls who have been directly affected by the  conflict in Syria. 

My family and I were forced to leave our country in fear for our saftey. l came to Jordan with my parents and four siblings. 

I want to become a pharmacist.

 Making a difference in other people's lives gives me immense pleasure, especially if they are vulnerable,  regardless of their race, religion, or nationality.  

I scored 94.2% in my high school diploma (Tawjihi), scientific branch.   

My country's medical infrastructure was almost totally destroyed. According to the Brookings Institute, 57% of Syrian public hospitals have been damaged and 37% are no longer functioning". 

I want to become a pharmacist and help thousands of my fellow Syrians heal from the trauma they endured. I want to  raise awareness about health issues and the need to follow up with health care practitioners. Raising awareness alone will save many lives. I  also love to give back to the community that embraced me in my second home, Jordan. 

My ultimate hope, however,  is to return to my homeland Syria and help rebuild the health sector, which was severely damaged during the conflict prompting  many qualified health care professionals to leave.

 Refugees can barely survive on public assistance, let alone dream of pursuing a college education. I hope I can find the support that guarantees me and my country a better future.

Why Would Donors Fund You?

Once I graduate,  I will help others to realize their dreams, and I will give back to my family, my country and anyone who will help me to reach their goals.

How Do You Plan to Payback?

I will help anyone who needs me especially students , and spread cultural and health awareness in the community.

In addition, I will continue to  volunteer in order to serve my community.  

Volunteer Work/Social Capital

I volunteered in many activities including:

-  Visiting orphans to bring joy back into their lives in cooperation with the "Dose of Hope" team.
- Helped organize iftar meals for orphans in Ramadan.
- Organizing children activities at Al-Mafraq refugee camp.

- Participated in a medical campaign organized by the Islamic Help Foundation at the Eye Surgery Specialty  Hospital and Al-Haytham Hospital. I was allowed into the operating room, and was able to speak to attending physicians. I also helped prepare patients prior to their surgeries and helped in their post-op recovery.
- I learned tajweed, the art of reciting the Quran and taught children in my family and among my friends' families to recite the Quran according to "tajweed" rules.