Most of the students who attend the school are either orphans or are from under-privileged families; most can’t afford better education and this school is the only hope they have. The old school was built with mud blocks, but this time we are using cement blocks, which will last much longer. With construction almost finished, the students are filled with hope. They are all so thankful to see a graduate from their school return to the community to help improve their educational environment.

I recently graduated from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar and I hope to take my current role as an education Youth Advocate with the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) to the next level. I believe that we live in an imperfect world, but we all have the power within us to make that world a little bit better, whether we do this by fighting for social justice, improving community relations or working to protect the environment.

I strongly believe that no revolution can be victorious without the effective involvement and mobilisation of the youth. As an EAA Youth Advocate, I have learned how to be a leader and to value education, while promoting the Qatar Nation Vision 2030. I believe education is instrumental to our personal and communal development, making it critical in achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Indeed, education remains the single greatest social leveller for everyone around the world and as the current COVID-19 pandemic shows the disruptions to education could prove fatal. As a youth advocate, I express my solidary with students and youth around the world impacted by the COVID-19 and encourage educational professionals and stakeholders to build mechanisms to safeguard against such disruptions.