Learn to Live campaign: I want the world to know about children like me

Syrian refugee, 16, who backs the Evening Standard campaign tells Naomi Ackerman of her mission to speak at the United Nations
Naomi Ackerman @nomiackerman28 September 2018

An “inspirational” Syrian child refugee who helped launch the Standard’s Learn to Live campaign today spoke at the United Nations.

Haya, 16, fled a rebel-held region in the Syrian province of Daraa as the civil war intensified in 2012.

Then aged 11, she had to walk through the desert to the Jordanian border with her family, holding just the bags they could carry and leaving a whole life behind.

Haya was chosen by London-based charity War Child to speak at a child-led Day of General Discussion on children’s human rights at the UN in Geneva.

She shared the experience live with her new London friends. It was the first time the teenager, who has spent six years living in a caravan home in Za’atari refugee camp in the Jordanian desert, miles from the Syrian border, had ever flown on a plane or caught more than a glimpse of a big cosmopolitan city.

New horizons: Haya takes a selfie in Geneva, where she was taking part in a child-led UN Day of General Discussion on children’s rights

Haya is one of the first children affected by conflict — from those in Jordan to Iraq and the Central African Republic — who linked up with four London schools through the Learn to Live campaign. The project aims to increase understanding between pupils of all backgrounds.

In Za’atari, Haya attends an education programme run by War Child. She and her group have carried out their own projects, reporting and documenting the child labour catastrophe and lack of educational opportunities they see around them daily.

After a stroll around Geneva, Haya addressed a panel of top UN officials, where she set out what more needs to be done to help refugee children like her group fight for their own rights. She spoke alongside a young Colombian refugee, and met child activists from all over the world.

She told the Standard that appearing at the UN in person to give her own account was vital: “I want them to know about people in the camp and about how they are living, and also about what we can do. If someone comes from Europe to Za’atari for a few days and comes back and tells what they see it is not the same. It is a step forward.”

“Haya met Michael Copeland, Global Co-ordinator at the UN children’s fund, who said he was positive about the work being done through War Child and the campaign.”

Haya has been sharing her experience with friends and family in the camp, sending WhatsApp photos of every new sight, recording noises in the streets and taking selfies. The messages have already been shared around the whole community. “I still can’t believe I am here. It’s totally different — the buildings and the people,” she said.

“My mum and dad were very supportive, my mum said, ‘Take care of yourself and enjoy.’ I was confident. I said, ‘Don’t worry about me.’

“They had never left Syria before going to Jordan. My brother has taken screenshots of the pictures I’ve sent and is sending them to everyone.

“I will go back to the camp and tell them about this different world. This experience has opened up my world. I am so happy to meet all these different people, and now I want to talk with everyone about their culture and their backgrounds and find out about them.”

Haya and her classmates have already started this process, sharing messages and creating an art project with Hornsey School for Girls.

Over a Skype session, she shared her UN experiences with her London peers, explaining the struggles of life in Za’atari, before laughing together about their life ambitions and where they hang out with friends.

Haya said: “It was good to tell them about my life. I enjoyed it and would like to talk more. It will be good to learn more about their whole lives.”

Schoolgirls praise Haya for 'achieving so much'

By Lizzie Edmonds

Six London schoolgirls who had a video call with 16-year-old Syrian refugee Haya, who was addressing the United Nations in Geneva today, said they found her “inspirational”.

Liberty Bairstow, Noha Moulana,  Harriet Webster, Lola Langham, Honey Hargreaves and Naila Amegashitsi, who are all 13, gathered around a computer screen at Hornsey School for Girls on Wednesday to spend 20 minutes of their lunchbreak talking to Haya. 

After asking questions such as: “What is it like where you live?”, “What do you do after school?” and “What are your ambitions?”, the Skype call ended with the girls promising to exchange letters and photographs detailing their everyday lives. Afterwards, the girls in London talked excitedly about getting to know Haya, who lives in the al Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan.

Harriet, who wants to work in politics, said: “I really enjoyed talking with her. But I was surprised to find out how similar she was to everyone I know. I think we are very much the same, but we haven’t had the same life.” 

Liberty, who wants to study  psychology, said: “From what she said, it doesn’t sound like she is going to be leaving where she is very soon.” When asked what she thought about Haya speaking at the UN, Naila — who would like to be a pathologist — said: “I admire her for what she had done at this age. I feel like we get so many opportunities and none of us has done as much as she has. I realise we have a lot to be grateful for.”

Lola, who wants to study law, said: “To do that at our age, it is really inspirational that she can achieve so much. It makes me feel like I need to do more.” She added that the Standard’s Learn to Live campaign had “just opened all our eyes up so much to what it is like over there.”

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