against the odds
I have been lucky enough over the years to work with the Jordanian police and in 1997 I met a policewoman when we were setting up the Family Protection Department. She comes from an extremely poor family in Ramtha but always achieved academically and got one of the highest marks in the tawjihi in the Irbid area. Her ambition has always been to get a PhD and now she is on her way!!!
She first of all got a Chevening Scholarship (British Council) to the UK where she got an honours Master's Degree in Human Rights Law and now she has got a Fulbright Scholarship to study for her PhD at Northeastern University in Boston.
The police put so many obstacles in her way when she was awarded the Chevening and she had to postpone it for a year as the Director at the time would not let her go! Only as a personal favour did the next Director allow her to go. Unbelievable! You would have thought they would be so proud that one of their police women had got such a prestigious scholarship and it was not costing them a penny.
This time for the Fulbright, at the last moment, the police wanted a financial guarantee of JD 120,000 from her!! This from a woman who has less than nothing. After a lot of anxiety she finally asked one of the Members of Parliament from her area - Mr Fawaz Az Zoubi - if he could help and, bless his heart, he signed two pieces of land as a guarantee for the police that she would return to Jordan.
So, at the age of 35 and newly married she is setting off on another difficult adventure. I salute her and applaud her strength and wish her all success. T
She first of all got a Chevening Scholarship (British Council) to the UK where she got an honours Master's Degree in Human Rights Law and now she has got a Fulbright Scholarship to study for her PhD at Northeastern University in Boston.
The police put so many obstacles in her way when she was awarded the Chevening and she had to postpone it for a year as the Director at the time would not let her go! Only as a personal favour did the next Director allow her to go. Unbelievable! You would have thought they would be so proud that one of their police women had got such a prestigious scholarship and it was not costing them a penny.
This time for the Fulbright, at the last moment, the police wanted a financial guarantee of JD 120,000 from her!! This from a woman who has less than nothing. After a lot of anxiety she finally asked one of the Members of Parliament from her area - Mr Fawaz Az Zoubi - if he could help and, bless his heart, he signed two pieces of land as a guarantee for the police that she would return to Jordan.
So, at the age of 35 and newly married she is setting off on another difficult adventure. I salute her and applaud her strength and wish her all success. T
posted by joladies at Saturday, July 29, 2006
4 Comments:
Ahmo Fawwaz is one of those people where when meeting him makes you feel like you two have been best friends for a very long time. I've had the opprtunity to speak with him on many occasions and he is just an all around nice man. I would expect nothing less from him and helping out that well deserving woman is just an extension of his charitable giving. Actually he goes out of his way to help many of the people of his district...and from what I heard he was very poor growing up...so he knows exactly where they are coming from. Many refer to him by the nickname "Fawwaz Al Fagir"
It is an honor to know him and I am now even more happy I voted for him.
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Hello,
I just want to thank you for such refreshing article about this lady, that happens to me from my home town our beloved RAMTHA. Do know what happened next? Did she go to Boston?
Yes, she is at Northeastern University doing her PhD on a Fulbright scholarship. Her first baby is due any day now and her husband managed to join her so I expect he will be the house husband! Might not have done it in Jordan but far away from all the relatives he will not be seen as 'losing' his dignity!!! T
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