Jannat’s Journey Back to School
Restoring Hope Through Education
- English
- العربية
Every morning, Jannat Ali watched other children go to school and imagined herself among them.
For Jannat, school was about far more than learning to read and write. It was a place to make friends, play, explore and take the first steps towards the future she dreamed of.
10 years old Jannat lives with her mother, brother and grandmother in a small tent in Debaga camp in northern Iraq. Displacement forced the family to flee their home when Jannat was young, leaving behind the legal documents they needed to rebuild their lives. Without these documents, she was unable to enroll in school when she turned six. Although she could only watch other children head to class, Jannat held tightly to her dream of one day joining them.
“Every morning, I go outside our tent to watch the other children go to school. I dreamed of joining them,” she says.
That dream has now become a reality. With support from UNICEF’s legal team and partners, Jannat’s family received assistance to obtain her legal documentation. She was able to return to school and resume her education.
Today, Jannat is in third grade at primary school. For her, school is much more than a place to study. It is a place to play, discover new things, and build a future full of possibilities.
“I love school,” she says with a smile. “I see my friends here and we play together. I also learn English, Arabic, mathematics and science. I love Arabic and mathematics.”
After a year away from school, Jannat is eager to catch up on her lessons. She also has a dream that keeps her motivated: becoming a doctor.
“I want to become a doctor so I can cure my mother if she gets sick,” she says.
Having experienced what it means to miss out on education, Jannat hopes other children still out of school will have the same opportunity she has.
“I want all children to get back to school and continue their learning,”
UNICEF has helped more than 13,000 displaced and refugee children in Iraq return to school. The support has also included assistance with obtaining legal identification documents
For Jannat, this support means more than returning to the classroom. It has given her the opportunity to learn, spend time with her friends and take a step closer to her dream of becoming a doctor.
