Rafat Realizes His Right to an Education

With funding from ECW, a UNICEF learning centre in Syria brings happiness and hope to a boy living with a vision impairment.

By Education Cannot Wait

February 17^th, 2022

Story from the field. Special contribution by UNICEF Syria (Original)

"On my first day of school, violence forced it to close."

By the age of 9, Rafat has already overcome numerous challenges to accessing an education. In addition to being displaced multiple times due to violence in Syria, he has also had to navigate life with a severe visual impairment.

Despite these roadblocks, Rafat has successfully learned to read and write over the past year while attending an Education Cannot Wait-supported learning centre in a refugee camp in Idlib, Syria. With support from ECW, the Fund's strategic partners, his teachers and his family, Rafat is now thriving.

Rafat at the ECW-supported Learning Centre in Idlib, northwest Syria. © UNICEF/Syria 2021/Dadoul

Rafat's mother, Maysa, watches her son with pride as he completes a school assignment. She explains how his education had been negatively impacted due to the frequent displacements experienced by the family over the past three years.

“After fleeing our home village, we suffered greatly until we found a safe place to live. My four children, between 3 and 14, were unable to enroll in school for almost two years, since there was no school nearby.”

This changed in September 2020 when a learning centre opened in their camp. Once Rafat's mother learned about this new programme, she immediately registered her school-aged children in it.

At first, Rafat refused to resume school due to his vision problem and the bullying that he'd experienced from his classmates in the past. However, support from his teachers and participation in psychosocial support activities have helped him to make friends and become more confident. Now, Rafat eagerly attends school.

Rafat practices his writing on the white board. © UNICEF/Syria/2021/Dadoul

Through the established referral mechanisms at the learning centre, Rafat was connected with an eye doctor for examinations and other services. ECW funding ensured that Rafat was also provided with eyeglasses that ultimately helped him concentrate on learning. He now loves going to class and looks forward to being successful in his studies.

“I was unable to attend school for nearly two years due to my family being displaced. Now, I am able to attend and learn from my Arabic teacher, Mr. Ahmed. I love Mr. Ahmed and interacting with my sister and friends in class. My teachers taught me to read and write in a way that was easy for me,” Rafat says.

Ali, one of the teachers in the camp, talks about the progress Rafat is making. “When Rafat started attending class, his academic level was low due to dropping out of school for such a long time. Even though he is 9 years old, we had no choice but to enroll him in the beginner level class."

"I’ve worked hard with him to overcome his vision problem by letting him sit in front of the board, encouraging him to do his best and motivating his classmates to support him.”

A teacher in Syria explains something in the lesson to her students. © UNICEF/Syria/2019/Al-Issa

Despite being behind his peers, Rafat explains, “through attending school, I realized how beneficial education is to my future, and that it will help me succeed in life.” Rafat was able to complete two cycles of non-formal education over the past year. In September 2021, he began his third cycle.

Rafat's mother adds, "We hope that we can return home soon and live in safety. The learning centre brings happiness to Rafat – he is now more active and gets high marks at school.”

“My children have struggled so much from displacement; having access to education gives them the ability to have a brighter future.”

Rafat walks to the ECW-supported UNICEF learning centre, eager to begin the day. © UNICEF/Syria/2021/Dadoul

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