My name is Hisham Al Ahmad, and I’m 18 from Aleppo, Syria. I live in Reyhanli, Turkiye. My family and I have been here since I was eight years old.

The journey to safety was not easy. When the situation in Aleppo became too dangerous, my dad made the difficult decision to seek safety in Turkiye. However, crossing the border was challenging. We were forced to abandon everything—our clothes, furniture, all our possessions—and flee with nothing but the clothes we wore. We even had to pretend to be injured to cross in an ambulance, where we crammed with about 40 other individuals. My 2-year-old sister almost got left behind in the chaos.

Despite the hardships, I stayed focused on the positive. I shed the sadness of leaving my home and embraced the hope of a safer future. As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to understand the meaning of war and the longing for home. I dream of one day returning to Syria to help rebuild my country.

I don’t have a Syrian ID or passport; I only have a refugee document. Next year, once I get my Syrian passport, I plan to attend college, where I want to study English literature and Electronic trading.

I joined Karam House in 2013, the first in my family to do so. Since then, three more of my siblings have joined this incredible community. One of the top highlights for me at Karam House was the “Transcribing Generations” studio, where I learned valuable skills and met inspiring people like the agriculture specialist, Aisha, who taught me about farming and much more.

Aisha suffered a lot in her life. She couldn’t go to school and started working since she was 12. During the Syrian conflict, one of her children was martyred, and the other was detained. But despite that, a smile does not leave her face.

This studio was my first experience farming and the first time I worked with an older person who was a professional in their field. Despite all the circumstances and injustice in her life, Aisha taught me faith, patience, sincerity, and to keep smiling in the face of hardship. I am forever grateful to Aisha.

I dream of traveling and studying abroad. I want to take the skills I’ve learned at Karam House and make a difference in the world. Before joining Karam House, I lacked the motivation to learn anything new, but now, I am eager to learn and grow.

Success is not just about achieving your goals but also about learning from failure and disappointment. It’s about perseverance and never giving up—and I never plan on giving up!