Teacher Profiles: Aba

When asked about how he feels about his work with Hello Future and how he has transformed, Aba talks a lot about trust and respect. He repeats those words over and over again… “to be trusted, to be respected”….those have gone a long way in transforming him, his view of the world, and how he carries himself.

Growing up in Damascus, Syria, Aba’s youth was intertwined with the unrest that led to the violence in Syria today. He left his home in 2014, when he was just 14 years old, fearing for his own life, for that of his family, and for the loving community he called home. In an instant, his life and his education were interrupted.

When Aba settled in Arbat Refugee Camp, life was harsh and contentious. He lacked stability and direction and could not see a better future for himself. Aba externalized the pent-up energy of a young man with little prospects and the burden of having to find his own way in a very discouraging world. He smoked a little too much, spent time with the wrong crowds and was always ready for a fight. Relationships at home were strained, he fought with his father often, and opportunities were few.

In 2019 Aba heard about Hello Future.  As a Syrian refugee himself, Aba wanted to help students who he could relate to at a personal level. Aba’s commitment to his students is rooted in his own past. His language and communication skills were a perfect match for the needs of HF and his quiet, playful demeanor meshed well with the students and other Teachers Aides.  

One of his favorite lessons to teach is the Future Self lesson, where students explore various career options and take portraits of themselves in their dream profession. It forms a moment of deep thinking and demonstrates the confidence the students have been developing for weeks.  Aba likes this lesson because seeing his students create a vision and work towards their goals gives him a sense of pride.  Over the past three years, Aba has been living this lesson, creating a future self that he could have never imagined after being uprooted from his home and settling at Arbat Camp.

“I am learning along the way. As I teach, I also am learning.”

In addition to instructing Hello Future students and helping them find their own sense of self, Aba has grown and deepened himself. Embodying the Hello Future mission, Aba created a path forward through steady and rewarding employment that fills him with pride, earned him respect and provided a new worldview. He is now able to help support his family and have money saved, an uncommon occurrence in a refugee camp. Instead of settling for his unstable, hostile, potentially delinquent future, he seized the opportunity to transform and create a world he could be proud of. Over time, relationships at home became less contentious. Pride in his work and his accomplishments with Hello Future flourished.