Education – Is What Empowers Me To Change The Miserable Reality In Yemen

The intricate cultural architecture of antique houses, accompanied by sleepless and vibrant streets, face the skyscraping mountains. The harmony of gentle waves crashing onto the shores, and the light laughter of my bright family members. That was once Yemen, those same lively streets, ageless mountains, and sandy shores no longer withstand. The antique houses that represented aestheticism and centuries of deeply preserved culture have been reduced of all glory, and are now only known as a desolate, lifeless pit of despair.

At seven years old, my family and I faced a situation that could have resulted in our death. It was 2 AM when three bullets shattered through the window of our apartment, startling my family from our slumber. My parents rushed into the room where my siblings and I slept and carried us into the living room, seating us under the dining table. Tears rushing down my face, I focused on counting all the twelve bullets, attempting to ignore the fact that these moments could have been my last. This troubling experience, along with many others, galvanized my parents to flee from Yemen to achieve a better quality of life in Qatar.

The dichotomy of what Yemen once was and its current devastating condition, along with the experiences that I’ve dealt with as Yemeni-American citizen has shaped who I am today. Although my family is one of the lucky few that fled Yemen successfully, the fact that the rest of my family continues to resides in perilous conditions is unbearable. As I departed, I vowed never to forget the Yemenis stranded in the devil's playground that was once home to my family. While living in Qatar, I am provided with security, safety, and an exemplary education that Yemen lacks.

The extensive vulnerability I faced in Yemen, magnified the importance of education. If I take a close look at the atrocities in Yemen, coupled with the worst famine in history, it’s a result of uneducated ethnic groups backed up by international power. Education is what empowers me to change the miserable reality in Yemen. This advantage I possess motivates me to utilize every opportunity at my disposal to alleviate the pain of those that are less privileged. As both local and international interest in the war piqued, the situation in Yemen exponentially worsened. To overcome the inevitable feeling of helplessness, I took the initiative to help others through education. I was aware of how many Yemeni families had migrated to the United States due to the war, and how they were struggling with the transition. My aunt, who had just moved to the U.S, and I created a Skype group with families that had recently migrated. The group continued to expand as more families joined. We helped them integrate themselves into western society, promoting a smooth transition, without the presence of ostracism. During our online meetings, we educated those families on many aspects of western culture and how they function. We discussed the differences in cultural norms and informed them on how education, jobs, housing, and politics work in the United States. We also hosted online book club sessions to improve their English. These Skype meetings created a community between Yemeni families in different states, while also allowing them to assimilate into American lifestyle with less difficulty.

By using the power of education, and empathy, we brought unity in times of anguish. Instead of allowing what I underwent as a Yemeni-American discourage me, I’ve become determined to improve the conditions in my nation. The impact I have made in the Yemeni-American community has inspired me to create a greater change. By having access to higher education, I will utilize what I have gained to explore the political possibilities to restore stability in Yemen and similar countries. I will use the path of education and politics to make a difference not only in Yemen but other countries.