DAFI Tertiary Scholarship Programme

Hadiye

When Hadiye and her family arrived in Azerbaijan in 2013, she was amazed by how independent and strong Azerbaijani women were. She reflected, “Their independence and hard-working nature, especially among older women who worked to support their families, truly inspired me.”

At first, she could not attend school because she did not speak Azerbaijani, so she spent her first year learning the language. When she learned about the DAFI scholarship, she was determined to apply, studying seriously to achieve the highest results possible. Her perseverance paid off and she earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts with the support of a DAFI scholarship before going on to pursue her master’s.

Beyond the canvas, Hadiye teaches English to refugee children in Baku. “My main goal is not only to provide education but also to help the kids discover their inner potential. Through education and art, I aim to bring out their strength and ensure they grow into valuable members of society.”

Bayan

When Bayan was in the middle of upper secondary school, she fled Syria and arrived in Lebanon. During the ensuing two-year interruption in her schooling, she experienced first-hand how education could shift from a right to a privilege. This motivated her to pursue a degree in education sciences, refusing to believe that a girl’s education should depend on someone else’s approval. "For me, education represents security, independence and hope," she explains.

Bayan entered the Lebanese International University as a DAFI scholar determined to study English and become an educator. She engaged proactively in curriculum development and independently developed an English language workshop, piloting it with her peers and then adapting it for secondary school students. More than 30 students have attended, and she hopes to continue and expand the workshops.

Bayan reflects: "DAFI helped me see myself as someone who could contribute to society and make a meaningful difference. Before, I never imagined that I could have that kind of impact. Working with students showed me that even small actions can change someone's life and DAFI helped me believe in my own potential."

Miguel

Miguel arrived in Ecuador from Venezuela in 2016. From the beginning, he set his sights on higher education, but unstable economic circumstances put this out of reach for his first few years. Instead, he developed practical skills in construction and joined a men's community group. For Miguel, technical training alongside his peers gave him a strong sense of autonomy and sparked his desire to contribute positively to his community.

He explains: "I believe that technical education and higher education play a very important role in the inclusion of refugees. It's not just about learning a profession and having better job opportunities." In 2022, Miguel was awarded a DAFI scholarship that made his dream of higher education possible, and he now studies architecture at the University San Gregorio de Portoviejo, specialising in renewable energy and sustainable architecture. He hopes to develop entrepreneurship initiatives that generate employment for others.

Beyond the classroom, Miguel took on a leadership role in the "Agents of Change" refugee youth-led training programme, delivering sessions for his peers throughout 2025 and presenting the initiative to university and Ministry of Education representatives.

Abdikhaliq

As a DAFI scholar, Abdikhaliq secured an internship that allowed him to develop practical skills in programme administration, student support and financial management. He learned to prepare financial reports and coordinate payments, and developed his communication and public-speaking skills through outreach activities and workshops. This led him to permanent employment with StudyTrust, where he now works as a Bursary Support Officer, managing nearly 170 students across 14 private donors. In the future, he aspires to found an organisation supporting Somalis through education and skills development.

Abdikhaliq credits DAFI for the internship that led to his current employment: "I am where I am now because of DAFI. What triggered my employment was the internship I experienced under DAFI, because I learned how to speak to different organisations and communicate." Without opportunities to apply what they have learned in a real-world setting, refugee graduates face additional barriers when trying to demonstrate their capabilities to employers. Internships provide the practical experience that helps to bridge this gap.

Jennifer

Determination to do her part to stop drug abuse in her community motivated Jennifer, originally from Cameroon, to pursue her degree in pharmacy technology. She had seen how medication misuse and substance abuse harmed families, friends and their futures, explaining, "I wanted the knowledge to make a difference."

Jennifer's resolve was tested during her first practical training exercise, when she found she could not recognise basic drugs. She reflects on this as the turning point in her education. "Instead of giving up, I committed myself to mastering the material. I studied relentlessly until I could confidently identify medications, understand their mechanisms and recognise their risks."

The DAFI scholarship removed the financial barriers she faced, allowing her to focus fully on her studies and clinical practice. She graduated as a certified pharmacy technician. Jennifer hopes to become a pharmacist, and one day counsel patients and lead community education on substance misuse. She asserts, "graduation is not the end of my journey, it is the foundation for the next step."