Success stories - One of the Lucky Few

November 2007

At the age of 12, Arash and his family fled Kabul when the Communist government collapsed. Engulfed by civil conflict, Afghanistan became a less than ideal place to raise a family or pursue an education. To escape the instability and escalating ethnic violence, the family fled to Peshawar, Pakistan.

In 1997, Arash completed his high school education at an Afghan refugee school. Strongly motivated to continue his education, he decided to take English language classes. Upon completion, he was offered a job teaching in an English language centre for Afghan refugees.

Working with these refugees raised his awareness of the growing ethnic violence and religious fundamentalism in Afghanistan, and the impact it was having on his fellow Afghans.

In 1998, he heard of a UN-funded non-government organization called Co-operation for Peace and Unity which offered workshops on peace education and conflict management for Afghan youth in Pakistan.

“Subsequently, I became a peace educator and a translator in a peace education project for the Afghan refugee school in Peshawar.” The peace education project’s purpose was to eliminate the culture of violence that had been ingrained into the cultural identity of Afghans.

While working as a peace educator, he learned about a student refugee sponsorship program from World University Services of Canada (WUSC). Every year about 40 students whose higher education has been interrupted by civil wars and conflicts in their home countries are sponsored by WUSC to attend schools in Canada. WUSC and in co-operation with its overseas partners have the responsibility of selecting refugee candidates, placing them at a Canadian post-secondary institution, and providing training and guidance to the sponsored students throughout the sponsoring process. WUSC also liaises with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Out of the 500 applicants from Afghanistan and Pakistan, WUSC chooses 10 to 12 applicants and Arash was one of the lucky few.

His arrival in Canada in 2001, however, was not an easy transition, as he didn’t know anyone here. He began studies at the University of Toronto. Campus life gave him the chance to immerse himself in his studies, and to build a network of friends.

Arash graduated with a Bachelors degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and International Relations and plans to pursue his Masters degree.  He hopes to one day work for the Canadian government and get involved in humanitarian missions in Afghanistan. He hopes to one day sponsor his family that is still in Pakistan.

“Graduating from the University of Toronto is a major achievement for every student, but for me, it marked a milestone along a journey with many twists and turns,” says Arash.

The 26 year-old Afghani native’s journey has been long and difficult but he is reaping the rewards of his hard work and dedication.

Read more Welcoming Workers and Students stories.