Hussein's family fled the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa in 2006 and headed to a refugee camp in Malawi. To get more <b>culture shock news</b>, you can visit shine news official website.
The move to Malawi allowed the family to live in peace. But when it was time for university, Hussein realized she needed a way out again.
"For a girl to go to school … it was very hard," says Hussein, who is now 20. "You'd find families [in the camp] not believing in education, and my family wasn't an exception."
That's until Hussein got a scholarship from World University Services Canada (WUSC), a one-of-a-kind program that provides scholarship money to young refugees in camps around the world.
It also provides a direct path to a future in Canada by giving each student permanent resident status.WUSC is a non-profit development organization with a focus on education. Its student refugee program — founded more than four decades ago — works with the federal department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to bring 130 students to Canada every year.
The students, who are predominantly refugees from the Middle East and Africa, apply to study and resettle as permanent residents in Canada.
In places like Malawi, students like Hussein have their eyes on the prized scholarship from a young age. "In primary school I was working towards this one goal — to study very hard, apply for the WUSC program and end up in Canada," says Hussein. "It was a golden opportunity."
Through WUSC, she was accepted into the University of British Columbia and arrived in Vancouver in 2018 with dreams of a bright future. But the transition from Malawi to British Columbia was hard, especially at the beginning. She had difficulty adjusting to Canadian culture and struggled to make friends.
"I'd sit with [classmates] for four months and not even know their names," she said. "They come with their earphones on when the classes start and then put their earphones back and leave," Hussein recalled.
A similar scene played out at her campus residence. Hussein would paste sticky notes on her roommates' doors to introduce herself, only to find out they rarely left their rooms to interact with each other.
Over time, Hussein overcame cultural barriers and adjusted to a new life. She spent more time with people like herself — refugee students finding a new life through education.Hussein found out she wasn't alone. And she realized the purpose that brought her to Canada — to pursue higher education — was bigger than her personal journey.
"I believe that everybody has the right to education no matter what situation they find themselves in. So when WUSC gives us this opportunity, they expect us to represent the people that were left back home," says Hussein.
