Syrian refugee boy Ali said: "When I was working, I used to daydream. I imagined that I was still studying and doing work, just as I was studying in school. I pretended that the factory was my school."

Second Home for Syrian Refugees

The Syrian civil war since 2011 has displaced 5.6 million refugees; one third of the country’s schools were destroyed and 900,000 children dropped out of school. Behind every refugee, there are stories of life, death, and separation.

El Menahil International School is a promise made by the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation to Syrian refugees living in Türkiye. On January 23, 2015, the Tzu Chi Foundation established the “El Menahil International School”. In 2018, it completed the certification process, and the school became the "second home" for Syrian refugees in Türkiye.

Child Labor

In 2015, Ali was a part-time student who came to El Menahil School to study in the supplementary school class during the weekends. On weekdays, he still had to make a living for his family although he was only a teenager.

Tzu Chi volunteer David Yu specially took a photo of Ali before the school started; he faced the camera with a bright smile. However, Tzu Chi volunteers wondered how Ali was living, since he had just come to Turkiye from Syria. While he interviewed the young man, volunteers saw that Ali's eyes were red as he talked about his days of child labor. The bitterness was fully displayed on his face.

Ali recalled: "That morning, it had snowed outside and it was so cold. I could not get up because I was so sleepy and very tired. But I had to. It was a little hard on the way to work, and I was so cold. I didn't know what to do. I thought to go back to Syria. I'm under a lot of pressure here."

In 2014, Ali said in an interview: “I often ask myself, why did I come to this world? My Turkish neighbors’ children laugh joyfully, but I am sad because of my current situation; they go to school, but I have to go to work.”

Ali continued: "When I was working, I used to daydream, imagining that I was still studying and doing work, just as if I was studying in school, pretending that the factory was my school."

That year, Ali was 13 years old. That should be the age of studying, but he became the breadwinner of the family. He worked 12 hours a day and only had 13 minutes of rest. He wanted to go to school so much.

In early 2015, the El Menahil School opened, and Ali came to class. There were more and more children like Ali, returning to school from the factory and no longer faltering. Their small hands depicted their own future, and smiles returned to their faces.

Ali’s Growth

Ali’s growth

2015 Ali worked to earn a living.

2016 Ali was a weekend student.

2017 Ali studied at El Menahil.

2019 Ali was excellent in character and study.

In 2017, Ali's family moved to Gaziantep province in Türkiye, on the Turkish-Syrian border. It is about 1,200 kilometers from Sultangazi, Istanbul, Türkiye, the site of the school. Even so far away, Tzu Chi volunteers still travelled that far to visit Ali's family.

In 2020, Ali's heart was still full of gratitude. The words of Jing Si Aphorism in the photo are: “To spread out your hands to hug when others are sad, and to open your ears to comfort others when they are crying.” What this Jing Si Aphorism describes is the situation when the Tzu Chi volunteers met Ali. They gave him what he needed, they hugged and comforted him.

On August 10, 2022, Tzu Chi volunteer David Yu took the Master's care and love to visit Ali and his sister Huda at school. Ali is currently studying in high school for the university entrance exam next year.

I Want to Be A Benefactor of People

Ali recorded a video for Master Cheng Yen, in which he said: “Dear Venerable Grand Master, I am Ali who studied in El Menahil before.”

When David asked Ali what he would want to be in the future.

He said: “You have asked this question before. My answer is the same as before. I want to be a Tzu Chi volunteer to give back to the society and become a benefactor in other people's lives.”

Thanksgiving

From 2014 to 2022, the Love from Tzu Chi never stopped. And Ali’s goal in life has never changed.

Children in Tzu Chi El Menahil International School for Refugees are children of Tzu Chi. Children who know how to be grateful will love themselves and others, make contributions to society, and become benefactors in other people's lives.

The power of love is beyond our imagination. Join Tzu Chi and let us pool our love together to make the world a better place.

Please click the link to know El Menahil School better.

https://tzuchicenter.org/global/menahil-promise

Article: Meichen Liao

Source: David Yu’s oral report on 2022/10/25 at Pingtung Jing Si Hall

Source Link: https://www.tzuchi.org.tw/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1679