AMA One Child One Dream Tour touches hearts across South Africa

“The best thing about South Africa was that nobody treated us as refugees” – Hamzah Mahmoud, 14, student at the Aman School of Excellence and a Syrian refugee.
Imagine your children, as young as 5, understanding that they are outcasts where they live, branded as refugees and treated with contempt. Knowing that their refugee status excludes their parents from employment, and them from an education.
On 1 August 2022, ten children from Africa Muslims Agency’s Aman School of Excellence in Lebanon landed in South Africa, ready to tour the country with the aim of collecting sponsorships for their friends back home to attend the school opened by AMA in 2021. The school provides world class education from kindergarten to elementary level, for 650 children previously unable to access education due to their status as refugees, combined with the dire economic situation in Lebanon.
Nothing could have prepared the AMA team, the children or the South African public for the deep impact this trip was to have…
At every stop along the way – every school, every flight, every family funday and every meal, the group was encompassed in love, sharing their stories with anyone and everyone, from pilots to teachers, and bringing tears and laughter to thousands of South Africans.
The group travelled from Cape Town to PE to Newcastle, then Gauteng and Durban. Each child shared their family story, as well as stories of their friends left behind, some sang nasheeds and read Qiraat, and all shared their dreams.
Yaman Helmi and Nidal Moustafa captured audiences wherever they sang and recited; Yaman dreams of becoming a professional nasheed artist, and Nidal wants to be a pilot to see the world beyond his refugee camp.
Ritaj and Lama want to be doctors, with the hope of helping the many sick people who cannot afford medical treatment in Lebanon. Ritaj’s story goes deeper – she was saved from near-death after swallowing rat poison at the age of 3, and wants to be a paediatrician who can save other children some day.
Doha and Hamza’s family first fled Palestine and then had to flee Syria, making them double refugees who dream of returning to Palestine.
Each of the ten children have lived through trauma we cannot comprehend; their daily lives in the camp are a struggle for survival. But the One Child One Dream tour was an opportunity to show the South African public the power of education…through one year of schooling, these children have transformed from painfully shy, deeply wounded individuals who struggled with social interaction, to bright young minds, filled with aspirations and hope.
A critical factor in the decision to begin the Aman School was the recognition that besides an education providing the chance for a better future from an economic standpoint, the psychological impact of education on children cannot be overemphasized – in the words of Betancourt:
“Schools can help migrant and refugee children deal with trauma through psychosocial support integrated with social and emotional learning interventions, helping to build self-confidence, resilience and emotional regulation skills, and teaching children to create relationships based on trust with others”.
AMA’s team members based permanently in Lebanon all shared how they have witnessed the miraculous transition in the confidence and disposition of the children attending the Aman School of Excellence.
The children of Aman and AMA thank all the sponsors, donors, volunteers and the general public who made this trip so meaningful for the children of Aman. As they left for home, the children asked the people of SA to continue donating generously to support Aman School, so that every child gets their chance at fulfilling their dream. A sponsorship costs R16000 per year and provides tuition, uniforms, bags and books.
In the words of AMA CEO, Hafidh Imraan Choonara: “ When we fulfil the dreams of each child, we are actually fulfilling the dreams of a family and building a legacy that will continue for generations to come. When the children of Aman graduate and can earn an income to support their family, this entire family is removed from dependence on aid.”
This is the goal we should all be working towards, insha’Allah – empowering families to become self-sufficient and regain their dignity.