Meet the 19-year-old Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan who has become UNICEF's youngest goodwill ambassador

Muzoon Almellehan has become the first person with official refugee status to become a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.

Dipannita Saha Dipannita Saha
जून 21, 2017
She maybe a teenager, but Muzoon Almellehan wants to make sure no child is devoid of education. Photo Courtesy: Twitter/UNICEFUKMedia


In many countries across the world, getting education for a girl is still a difficult feat. Remember how Malala Yousafzai was shot at by Taliban for wanting to study? There are many like her, who struglle every single day. In order to promote girls' education UNICEF has appointed 19-year-old Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan as its goodwill ambassador.

Yes, she's just 19, which has made her the youngest ever goodwill ambassador of the United Nations organization. And not only that, she has also become the first person with official refugee status to become an Ambassador for UNICEF. Earlier, Bollywood diva Priyanka Chopra was awarded with this coveted position .

Almellehan recently travelled with UNICEF to Chad, a country where nearly three times as many girls as boys of primary school age in conflict areas are missing out on education.

She met with children forced out of school due to the Boko Haram conflict in the Lake Chad region. Almellehan has been working to promote understanding of the challenges children affected and uprooted by conflict face in accessing education ever since her return.

But why was Almellehan chosen to be the goodwill ambassador? Because of her grit and determination to make sure no child is devoid of education.

She always knew how important education was and that she would have to go away from Syria to pursue it. "Even as a child, I knew that education was the key to my future, so when I fled Syria, the only belongings I took with me were my school books," the young woman told UNICEF.

"As a refugee, I saw what happens when children are forced into early marriage or manual labor--they lose out on education and they lose out on possibilities for the future. That's why I am proud to be working with UNICEF to help give these children a voice and to get them into school," she added.

Almellehan not only made sure that she got the education she wanted, but also became an advocate for girls' education after fleeing Syria in 2013.

She lived as a refugee in Jordan for three years, before settling down in London. However, her refugee status didn't stop her from advocating education among girls of her age.

It was during her 18 months in the Za'atari camp that she began advocating for children's access to education, particularly for girls.

"Muzoon's story of bravery and fortitude inspires us all. We are very proud she will now become an Ambassador for UNICEF and children around the world," said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Justin Forsyth.

In war-torn Syria, where thousands of people die every day, including children, it's the girls like Almellehan who suffer the most. In an environment which is not only threatening to their lives, but also to their overall development, young girls hardly get an opportunity to live their dreams. But, Almellehan has set a wonderful example for all those girls, who are stuck in countries that do not care about education. We are hoping that more girls will get inspired by her and realize that they can make their dreams come true too.

 

लगातार ऑडनारी खबरों की सप्लाई के लिए फेसबुक पर लाइक करे      

Copyright © 2024 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today. India Today Group