Faisal's Story: Role of Higher Education in pursuit of employment

For Yazidi youth, access to higher education and English language courses means improved access to future job opportunities and a better life.

Faisal, a Yazidi youth from Sinjar, has hope for a brighter future. After putting his plans to pursue higher education on hold for 8 years, he wasted no time enrolling in the JWL's English course upon his return to Sinjar.

"Earlier this year, I moved back to Sinjar in search of a job to help my family. Considering that many organizations demand employees who can speak English, I decided to enroll in the GEL program to improve my chances of finding work in the region."

After taking English classes, Faisal decided to continue his education by enrolling in JWL's Professional Learning Facilitator course, which has had a significant positive impact on his current role as a science teacher at a primary school.

"This course provided me with a wealth of new tools for being a more effective teacher. A lot of my friends and family members, including my cousins, have taken classes at JWL and considered it to be an important learning experience. Many of them got jobs too."

Accessibility, quality, and affordability of education are key to building a better future for Yazidi youth.

"Students in Sinjar require additional assistance for higher education in order to advance their knowledge and assist their community. I wish that NGOs and the government would provide more services in Sinjar, since the situation here hasn't yet recovered from genocide."