Succeeding in your studies in a land ravaged by war and economic crisis is a truly difficult undertaking. The commitment of the kids and the support of the after-school program in Damascus have produced a great result this year too.
“The most beautiful thing this year was that we were together… you helped us and supported us so much, and you were like brothers to us. Thank you for everything. I believe without you, we would not have gotten to where we are today. I love you with all my heart.”
This is the message that Malak wanted to write to his teachers during the last day of the after-school courses in Damascus ( Seeds of Hope program in Syria). That was a special day, after a year of working together the relationship between the kids and the teachers went beyond mere support in studying, becoming a relationship of great trust and friendship . For this reason, the teachers themselves wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate the end of the courses and encourage the older ones for the final exams they would be taking shortly. 
The year just ended has been a very difficult one for Syria: the echo of the bombs has faded, but the consequences of ten years of war and the embargo that has reduced the availability of basic necessities are being felt, making everyday life an obstacle course. Finally, the Pandemic and all that it has entailed have exacerbated social distances and amplified the vulnerability of the less well-off classes. In this climate of great difficulty and general discouragement, being able to follow one’s studies has been a real feat for the children of Damascus. Due to the Coronavirus, many schools have closed and the lack of electricity and the poor quality of the Internet have made distance learning practically impossible for students. The support of the after-school program and the desire to build a different future for themselves and the community, however, made them resist, leading them to achieve important results. This year, even though the center had many more students than usual, basic and intensive courses were held for almost all the subjects in the school curriculum (Mathematics, Physics/Chemistry, Arabic, English, French), so as to allow everyone to fill their gaps. And so it was: during the year the teachers and operators of the center were able to see the progress of almost all the students, comparing them with the initial tests that they had proposed, and the results at the exams were not long in coming. In the final exams in July , 36 out of 45 students were successful, obtaining good results. For the others, who nevertheless improved in many subjects, there will be the possibility of repeating the exam in August. Now, after the summer, we hope that all the students will be able to demonstrate their value even outside of school, until, one day, they take charge of the future of the country and commit themselves to rebuilding a more just and united Syria.
