From Fleeing to Teaching: How Education Helped an Iranian Refugee Rebuild a Life in Ecuador

At just 17 years old, Ali Seif was forced to leave Iran. What began as a move marked by uncertainty and resilience eventually led to a life of purpose in Ecuador, where he now teaches languages at the Polytechnic University of Quito and works at the Fulbright Commission.

His journey was shared at the 15by30 Refugee Higher Education Conference in Istanbul, where he spoke at the “Agents of Change” session and several other panels. The conference, co-convened by the Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN), Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK), and UNHCR, convened an estimated 200 participants. It was held alongside the Global Student Dialogue Conference (GSDC), which brought together over 5,000 delegates from more than 90 countries, representing academia, government institutions, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector. It aimed to explore how to accelerate efforts toward achieving the 15by30 target: 15 per cent refugee enrolment in higher education by 2030. His story served as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when education is made accessible to refugees.

When Ali first arrived in Ecuador, nothing was familiar. “We don’t have seasons in Ecuador,” he recalls. “Everything was new. You have to adapt to all of that.” He didn’t speak Spanish and didn’t know anyone. Over time, he built a life: a job, a community, a sense of belonging. “I have a home. I have my dog. I even cheer for Ecuador in the Olympics,” he says with a smile. “You have to become a stakeholder in the society you live in.”

Teaching became the turning point. Encouraged by a friend, he began teaching English after arriving in Ecuador. Now studying law, he dreams of becoming a lawyer to deepen his impact. “Languages saved my life,” he says. “If I had only known Farsi, I wouldn’t have made it in Ecuador. English gave me a chance.” He now passes that lesson on to his students, emphasizing that while degrees are important, soft skills are equally essential.

At the conference, he made a strong appeal for refugee inclusion in decision-making. “We need leaders—the same people who start wars—to listen to us,” he said. “Refugees shouldn’t be excluded from discussions that are about them.” He also stressed that power must serve people, not itself: “Power for the sake of power is not sustainable. We still need a world to govern. And we need each other to live in it.”

Despite his accomplishments, he recognizes the uphill battle many refugees face. “It’s always the refugee who has to prove themselves. We have to work harder just to show the host community that we are worth it,” he says. Still, Ali remains hopeful: “When you educate people, you open their minds. You stretch their boundaries. And educated people are less prejudiced, more accepting, more open.”

While in Türkiye for the conference, he had hoped to reunite with his family for the first time in six years. But the reunion was canceled at the last minute due to Iran’s airspace being closed amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel. “They had the tickets. Everything was planned. Then it all fell apart the night before,” he shared.

His life is a testament to the transformative power of education, not only to reshape an individual’s future, but to uplift entire communities. “I try to be the teacher I wish I had,” he says. “Kind, patient, and always smiling, no matter what’s happening in my life.”

Ali’s story is yet another example of how education empowers by giving refugees the knowledge and skills to live productive, fulfilling and independent lives.