Mohamad at Eton: From Refugee Camp to UK Boarding School | REWIND
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
- Almost a decade ago, Al Jazeera's Witness series followed 16-year-old Palestinian refugee Mohamad Fahed on a scholarship to Britain's most prestigious private school, Eton College.
Thanks to an all-expenses-paid scholarship he was looking forward to spending two years in an environment that is largely unfamiliar even to average British students.
Mohamad was a thoughtful boy whose life so far has been spent in the Rashidiya refugee camp in southern Lebanon. He dreamed of becoming an engineer, but as the second generation of his family to be born in exile, access to further education and jobs were limited.
But then he won the Horizon Scholarship to Eton, which opened up his life in ways he could not have imagined.
This moving film followed Mohamad through his first year at this extraordinary school - going through homesickness; taking advantage of extra-curricular activities like sport and music; participating in some of Eton's eccentric annual events, and most important of all, knuckling down to the rigorous educational timetable.
Mohamad had to find ways to adapt to life in a boarding school and Eton's Christian framework with chapel attendance compulsory.
Eight years on, REWIND catches up with Mohamad, who has now realised his dream and is working as an engineer with a large company in the UK, and he tells of his achievements - and his hopes for his, and Palestine's, future.
Al Jazeera: You graduated from Eton in 2012. What has happened since?
Mohamad: I was very fortunate to have been awarded another scholarship by the Horizon Foundation to continue my studies at UCL in London. I was awarded a job offer in London at a global engineering consultancy called Mott MacDonald where I have been working for more than a year now.
Al Jazeera: What sort of projects are you working on there?
Mohamad: I've mainly been working on two projects; the first one is a road expansion in the US. After that, I started working on a huge scheme in London called Cross Rail II and the aim is to build a new railway that connects South West London with North East London.
Al Jazeera: Do you have any plans of going back to Lebanon, or even to Palestine?
Mohamad: The reality is right now, as a Palestinian, I am deprived of the right to return to Palestine because of the Israeli occupation. The United Nations has reaffirmed our right as Palestinians to go back to our home countries.
Every single year since 1948, since my grandparents were kicked out, the UN resolution 194 affirmed our right to go back but we've never been allowed to go. My grandmother, who was featured in this documentary, passed away two years ago without achieving her dream of going back.
In terms of going back to Lebanon - I love Lebanon because my parents are there. I miss them, they miss me. The problem is that as Palestinians in Lebanon, we're deprived of many civil rights. We are not allowed to work in more than 20 professions. Me, as a civil engineer, I wouldn't be able to practise in Lebanon. Many of my friends who have graduated from university have gone back to Lebanon, and at the moment are still unemployed.
Al Jazeera: So where is home for you? How does your family feel now that this has been more of a one-way journey for you?
Mohamad: My dream is to be back in Palestine. The ultimate goal of a home is Palestine.
At the same time, I still have my childhood memories of Lebanon. I love Lebanon because I grew up there and my family is there.
The UK, on the other hand, has provided me with life-changing opportunities. I spent the formative years of my life here, I made many friends, I made work connections, so I will always have a connection. Home will always continue to be, in the back of my mind, Palestine.
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Mohamad went on to graduate from UCL in 2016 with an MSc (Distinction) in Civil Engineering with Integrated Design, Distinction. He is now a civil engineer at Mott MacDonald.
I am actually so happy for him!
MashaAllah I’m so happy for him ;)
Umm AbdulRahmaan, me, too!
aww that’s so amazing 🥺🥺💓
Wow! Super happy for him!
Keep the good work mohammed we r so proud of you
What a lovely human being Mohammad is 🌎💙💚a very classy, dignified person. God bless Palestine. You must miss your family .
ah so happy for this boy. And also lovely to hear his british accent coming through! Best of luck and wish you the best.
Generally speaking, kids from the Middle East, especially from Syria and Lebanon as far as I know, are exceptionally good at beta subjects. Knowing that many children who were refugees that came around 2015 from places like Syria can contribute much to western society. I'm so happy to see that Mohamed was able to contribute to my neighbor country across the sea and I hope that the refugees who came to my country will be able to do the same :)
Yes, also many wonderful scientists from Nigeria. Eventually I hope nations are able to come together as one and improve human life as a whole.
Statistics tell us they will end up draining money.
@@ReasonAboveEverythinghe is already working mate, could you clarify your comment.
Bravo Mohamad. What an extraordinarily remarkable and brilliant young man. His path to success is one 99.9% of all others would have and do fail to achieve at any age. Let alone at just 16.
The hate speech in the comments here speaks volumes about the ignorance, fear, racism and even jealousy plaguing the world today. This hatred is breed on both sides. Religion has always played a role fostering hatred by driving people apart despite the loving words of religious texts. In many instances throughout history we are brought together to defeat an enemy. Sadly this trait is still embedded in our DNA. Unfortunately, since 9/11, the actions of a few extremist, much of the world is united against Islam. This ignorance is not only aimed towards our Islamic brothers and sisters, but all individuals with a slightly darker skin tone than our own. Due to ignorance, many individuals are falsely labeled Islamic. Leaders, such as the childish US president Trump, are perpetuating this false ideology and narrative. There is no need to fear Islam. Islam is not our enemy. Extremism of any faith or ideology is our enemy. Terrorist are not of one religion, race, or identity.
Sadly there will never be world peace. Our hope for a friendlier world is with today's youth.
Cheers!
Those labeling this amazing young man as a terrorist are as ignorant and idiotic as Hitler. Such hatred and ignorance has no place in the world today.
LONG LIVE PALESTINE, we in Bolivia stand by your side.
Good job Mohamad you are an inspiration and truly blessed. Mashallah I am Palestinian too And i hope I can meet you one day .
Allahuma Barik. May Allah Raise him and his grandparents Ranks in Jannah. ameen
Funny, he can't be an engineer in Lebanon because he's a Palestinian....yet, in Israel, Arabs can and do work in whatever career they want. Yet, people slag off Israel....without giving a second thought to how people are treated in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi....well the list goes on.
at least lebanon aren't bombing hospitals
The CRIMINAL state of Israel must return the lands to PALESTINIANS. Would you work for your exploiter or someone who stole your home?
He said he wanted to go back, but Israel won't allow him. Lebanon isn't much better it seems though
So your logic is if Egypt and the other countries treat people badly, then it's ok for Israel to do the same.
Richard Barkus - Didn't get it, did ya? That's not his logic. Don't make it up.The point he made was that Israel who is reputed to be an enemy of the Arab people, treats Arab people better than Arabs treat their own kith and kin and fellow Arabs. But then everyone knows that's Arabs talk a good game but seldom live up to their ideals they presumptively have as a people.
I e registered my son for Eton and there’s many subjects you are expected to have an understanding of. Without that you don’t get in. But when they want you there they’re happy to overlook. Like the house master mentioned here.
Any usual subjects?
True, because not everyone has had the opportunity to study said topics to get that prior understanding
They look for potential in students
You have to take exams of maths and English, mixed with nonverbal and verbal reasoning. Along with those exams, you also have to do an interview. You don’t have to study any ‘usual’ subjects unless you get a place at the school and have to do another exam again about 3 months before entry called Commom Entrace where there are all the common subjects eg history geography
Proud of u
15:23 he's got more common sense than everyone else in that room combined.
Good luck Muhammad 😊👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
faith in humanity is restored
Would love to see an equal divide of the land so both Israel and Palestine could have a country.
I don’t understand how one group of people can be allowed to take the whole land?
I hope good things keep happening for this young man.
And I hope he encourages other young Displaced Palestinians to keep striving for equality.
A two state solution is impossible, Palestine will always, always be at a disadvantage, an inferior military failing to protect it's national sovereignty. The only way forward is a single state which guarantees equality and non discriminatory government behavior.
Mashallah!!!! Good job!
Proud to be your cousin
MØDÌ _XD is the rest of his family still in Lebanon??
"ahuggge"
Yalla ya shabab.
Good boy
Love palestine 💕
He has done very well. Lots of boys (and girls) in the Uk do not get an opportunity to go to a school ike Eton of course nor can they get to university nor graduate but it sounds like he appreciates the opportunities my country has given him and he is very clever and hard worker. I bet his family are very proud of him.
Israel is a beacon of civilisation in a not particularly nice part of the world and will always be a friend of the UK.
a shame pretty much no other country can provide this kind of education
Other countries can. There are a lot of international students at Australian schools and universities.
Bir babayiğit şunu türkçeye çevirsin.
Let's see DW channel on UA-cam now [2018.04.21]! As I wrote, DW never speak about bad Jews and show Jews as a victims only.
And people saw immigrant take there jobs they don’t they’re just better than you
Your grammar is terrible you incompetent fool, I don’t know how you can think you are above anyone.
Free Palestine!
How long till it blows
You are swine and you surely live as such. Be gone with you
Always thought that the traditional Public Schools were of a Christian character
UK opened the Pandora box and now UK want to look not so Jewish, I think.
interesting thought
he got in there for free, or was it the labour party who paid for the fee.
Private donations and UK families who sponsor high achieving young men from across the globe. Not a penny of the public's funds has ever paid for tuition at any private institution.
It stated clearly in the video as to how he was funded.
free education for arabs... what arab country gives free education to an english boy?
What English wants to study in an Arab country
And considering most wars in the Middle East because of Britain
Borders
Is there any subject such as "Jihad Studies" here at this elite institute because a "Peace loving" and "honest" muslim guy told me "Jihad" basically means "self cleaning ritual" ?
Therefore if these Muslim boys here learn "Jihad" which in other words is a "PEACEFUL" self cleaning ritual belonging to Islam which is "Religion of Peace" then wouldn't that be a fantastic idea !🤔🌚
There isn't baptism studies either so why would there be jihad studies?
Well idk. Maybe because even discounting the smaller attacks and knifings that never are reported in media just Islamic jihad, Al Qaeda and ISIS have killed 616 and injured 4631 since the beginning of 2000s. Of course the other option is to make force the arab countries take immigrants and refugees and simply quit taking them.
After doing so well at the expense of the English tax payer will he go back to his home country and help his people ,,,,????????? = NOOOOOOOO they never do
Thousands of Arabic students bring millions of pounds into this country to help fund your education. Don't waste this opportunity by being an idiot.
@@philwilliams953 no one funds my education idiot but my father what "opportunity " are you sqeaking about ? idiot yourself .......
Unfortunately they font.
Tell your dad that if you are a UK taxpayer and resident you are entitled to free education. Maybe he's wasting his money on you.
Foreign students help fund our universities. They are an important invisible export. It's also good to get less well off students over here too. The link that this establishes between nations is not virtue signalling; it's very real.
@@citic101 Looking at your grammar and spelling mistakes, maybe no-one funds your education full stop.
Probably a dictator in the making. No one just gets this privileges.
Dont you have shame on yourself ?
Many refugees have really worked hard to prosper in their life and every single one among them havent become Dictators
Try to erase of your narrow mindedness or else one day you will find yourself in embarrassment when you realise the fact you were wrong about various things regarding people like Mohammed Fahad
@@Aethelwulfecbert You think he cares?