The Story of Batoul
April 2021
Given the right support, children have the remarkable ability to adapt to new circumstances, no matter how tough they tend to be.
Batoul is a prime example of that.
Having fled Syria with her parents and two siblings in 2011, Batoul and her family settled in a camp in North Lebanon. It was not an easy journey. The family endured numerous hardships and had to overcome difficult circumstances before settling in, which affected Batoul the most, especially in her pursuit to receive an education.
When Batoul’s parents found out about the Back to the Future program, they did not hesitate for a second in enrolling their daughter. Receiving an education has always been a dream of hers, and her father made sure nothing would stand in her way. She had never attended school before.
With the help and persistence of her facilitator, Yemen, Batoul embarked on her educational journey. Yemen made sure Batoul was receiving all the material, including videos, on time and was understanding of what was required of her. She followed up with her students on a daily basis.
Her father played a major role as well. With their tent being a fair distance away from the other houses, Batoul’s father would walk long distances to the nearest neighbor, ask for permission to use their internet, download the videos which were shared by Yemen, and then go back home and teach his daughter.
Within a few weeks, Batoul showed incredible improvement and desire to study and learn. She loved watching and interacting with the videos, especially those with animals in them.
“She moved from being an ordinary listener to a sort of superhero trying to find a creative way to stay connected to the learning process. She did not give up!” says Yemen.
At first, even Yemen was left frustrated on how to deal with all the new challenges brought on by the pandemic, fearing she won’t be able to perform her job properly and would eventually let her students down.
But with hard work and determination, she was able to pull through. And having a student like Batoul, made her even more resolute to succeed.
“She motivated and made my job easier!” Says Yemen.
When there’s a will, there is a way. Batoul, her father and facilitator, made sure that nothing would stand in her way of receiving a proper education which may prove to be an invaluable asset for her future.
Back to the Future is funded by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis, the EU Madad Fund, and implemented in partnership by AVSI, Terre des Hommes Italy in Lebanon and War Child Holland in Lebanon.
