DAFI Tertiary Scholarship Programme

Reidzio

Growing up in Pavlohrad, Ukraine, Reidzio always had a passion for studying. He was nine years old when the conflict started in Donbas (Ukraine) in 2014 and it had a great influence on his view of the world, questions about human behaviour and interest in politics. Reidzio reminds us, “History is key. A lot of people use it as a weapon, whereas it should be used as an instrument to learn from the issues that happened and the mistakes that were made, in order not to repeat them”.

When war broke out in Ukraine in 2022, Reidzio was evacuated with his mother and brother to Slovakia. After spending a summer working as a bartender in a hotel to support his family, Reidzio moved to Bratislava on his own to study at university.

During his first semester, he found it difficult to balance a full class schedule with work on the weekends. Since securing a DAFI scholarship, Reidzio can dedicate more time to studying and building a new community of friends in Bratislava. He explains that because of the DAFI scholarship, “My whole life belongs to me now. University has allowed me to progress, to become someone who has more confidence, who is not afraid to speak in public, to express their views, to be more open.”

Sarah

Each day at work, Sarah learns from youth and leaders from different sectors and is inspired by their impact across the African continent. She firmly believes that “Refugees who are granted opportunities grab them and make the best of them.” A DAFI alumna, Sarah is now a Programme Officer in the African Heritage Programme at the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS).

Sarah left the Democratic Republic of the Congo for South Africa when she was seven years old, along with her mother and six siblings. She was always a strong, driven student and excelled in her education. However, as scholarship opportunities she sought turned her down for being a foreigner, she realized things would not be so simple. University was simply too expensive and she thought high school would be the end of the road.

Nevertheless, she registered at the last minute and, after her first year at university, she was awarded the DAFI scholarship. Even so, she worried about what would happen next, explaining, “I volunteered in so many organizations, mainly impacting underprivileged youth. I also worked on many fundraising projects. That is actually how I landed my first job, by networking and speaking to many different individuals.”

Reflecting on her work and journey to higher education, Sarah explains, “Change starts with one person: you create that change and then you hold the next hand. Through collaboration, there will definitely be more refugees like myself who are going to school and can fly with their own wings, without depending on anyone.”

Aicha

When Aicha fled Syria for Türkiye in 2013, she was just one year away from completing her civil engineering degree at Damascus University. But war put her dreams on hold. “When we arrived here, I immediately thought: how could I complete my studies?” she recalls. The answer wasn’t simple – she didn’t speak a word of Turkish and was in a new country.

Determined, Aicha taught herself Turkish, worked as a secretary, and by 2015, secured a place at Istanbul University. The first semester was overwhelming. “I didn’t understand anything so I was about to quit university.” But she pushed through, translating every word, and soon, her grades soared.

Financial struggles remained. Her family of five survived on two small salaries, so Aicha took extra courses while continuing to work as a secretary, desperate to graduate as soon as possible. Unfortunately, economic hardship forced her to stop. Then came a lifeline – she learned about the DAFI programme and won a scholarship in 2016. “my economic burden was lightened and I was able to focus more on my studies.”

Graduating in 2017, she struggled to find work until gaining Turkish citizenship in 2018. Now, at Relief International, she helps people with disabilities and at the same time she is pursuing her Master of Civil Engineering. “My dream is to become an academic in civil engineering one day.”

Roshin

When Roshin arrived in Türkiye from Kobani, Syria, in 2015, she faced a world where she didn’t speak the language and felt the weight of discrimination. But she was determined to prove herself.

“I wanted to break down prejudices,” she says. Kurdish is her mother tongue, but she spent two years in an Arabic-speaking school before moving to a Turkish school. She worked tirelessly, asking questions, reading constantly, and earning top marks. By ninth grade, she had the highest score in her school – 98%. “The first five students were Syrians. We proved we could be just as good, if not better.”

Roshin dreamed of becoming a brain surgeon, but medical school was too expensive. Instead, she chose nursing, starting at Gaziantep University in 2021. When she secured a DAFI scholarship, it lifted a huge financial burden. In her words, “With more support, we can have more opportunities.”

She wishes to specialize in psychiatry or psychology. “Mental health is a field that is more and more needed. Only human beings can understand other human beings. In other words, only humanity can heal humanity,” she says.

During the 2023 earthquake, Roshin used her nursing skills to help at a local clinic, realizing how much more there was to learn. Next, she hopes to further her education in the Netherlands and, continuing to demonstrate her ambition and determination to help others, Roshin is already learning Dutch.

Sayd

From as early as 12 years old, Sayd studied in ‘El Sistema’, formally known as the ‘Foundation for the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela.’ The school’s focus was on music as the primary avenue of social and intellectual transformation. The founder, Maestro Anibal Antonio Abreu, was known to say, “Someone who picks up an instrument will never pick up a gun.”

This is where Sayd fell in love with music. “I found it and it found me in a way. I saw so many possibilities, so many opportunities. Music is a universal language.” He eventually achieved semi-professional status and was playing in an orchestra while teaching as well. However, the situation in Venezuela deteriorated rapidly and Sayd had no choice but to leave the country. “It was very unstable. I could not pursue my objectives nor my dreams. In the end, I was just surviving, not really living.”

He arrived in Mexico alone, with only his suitcase and his violin, and almost right away, researched ways to resume his studies. He learned about the Faculty of Music at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), spoke with students and met Savarthasiddh Uribe Moreno, who oversees violin studies at UNAM and became a mentor to Sayd. Moreno helped him to prepare for his audition and Sayd was admitted.

Once he started his degree programme, receiving the DAFI scholarship gave him “the support and tranquility I need to be able to concentrate on my studies and dedicate time to my instrument.” Without the support of DAFI, he would not have been able to continue his studies and pursue his dream of becoming a professional musician.

Fawaz

Fawaz, a DAFI alumnus and Syrian refugee in Erbil, runs a busy physiotherapy centre where he and his Iraqi colleagues provide treatments like electrotherapy, acupuncture, and dry needling to help both refugees and locals manage pain.

After fleeing Syria in 2013, Fawaz pursued higher education in Erbil. He earned a bachelor’s degree and overcame financial challenges with the support of a DAFI scholarship. He was determined to integrate into his new community and volunteered as a physiotherapist while studying at university.

Later, Fawaz co-founded his own centre with local graduates. This is more than a job for him; it is a chance to give back and help patients regain mobility and independence. Fawaz explains, “We cannot add days to a patient’s life, but we can add life to their days. I am proud to help people and make a difference in this community.”

Leidys

Leidys has always been a strong student with the determination to continue her education, no matter what. She was accepted to study in a highly competitive architecture programme at the Central University of Venezuela. However, as the country’s economic, social and political situation deteriorated, she spent nearly a semester out of school due to protests and an attack on the university.

When Leidys arrived in Mexico, she struggled to secure a job and told herself, “you have to study, you have to study, you have to study.” She could not believe it when she was awarded the DAFI scholarship. “It is a huge, huge, huge help. Without it, I would be working but not studying, that is certain.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, she was only able to continue her studies because of the DAFI scholarship. She eventually secured a job in a print shop and explains that in the future, she wishes to start her own business. “That way, I could provide opportunities to others.”

Her message to the world? “When you work hard and you really want something, it eventually materializes. I am very grateful for everything that has happened to me.”

Ahmad

When Ahmad arrived in Türkiye in 2015, he left behind not just his home in Syria, but a future that once seemed certain. The youngest of 11 children, he stayed behind to take care of the family’s pistachio farm while war raged around him. As the conflict worsened, he had no choice but to flee with his family to Hatay, Türkiye at age 19.

Education had always been Ahmad’s dream. “I was not ready to give up on my education. It was always on my mind,” he says. But university felt out of reach. Twice, he applied for a Türkiye government scholarship and was rejected. Still, he refused to give up.

In 2016, he tried again – and this time, he was accepted into İnönü University and started studying computer engineering. “It was my dream! I just love computers,” he recalls. Thanks to the DAFI scholarship, financial worries faded, allowing him to focus on his studies. When COVID-19 hit, Ahmad took his classes online while gaining real-world experience coding for a private company in Gaziantep. Right after, he secured a job as a software engineer at Belsoft Teknoloji where today he designs systems for municipalities across Türkiye.

Recently married, Ahmad is excited for the future—not just for himself, but for his wife, who now dreams of a university education for herself as well. For Ahmad, learning never stops.

Claudine

Claudine is charting a bold path in law, driven by resilience and a deep sense of justice. Born in Kiziba refugee camp to a family that fled the Democratic Republic of Congo, education was always her priority.

Although she graduated top of her secondary school, Claudine felt lost as her peers went on to university. She mentored younger students but saw no future for herself – until she discovered the DAFI scholarship.

At university, she flourished, becoming a trusted resource for students – Rwandan and refugee alike. She reflected on why her peers so often came to her for help. “I realized that being a refugee means nothing. Once you’ve studied yourself, once you know what you want, you realize that it means nothing.”

Now, as a case manager supporting refugees at a law firm, she dreams of becoming a human rights activist. “Today I feel happy, confident and excited. I am doing the thing I love, and I am serving my community.”