Last summer, after finishing high school in Oman, Hamzah visited Jordan and met young people from the Youth Connect programme in Zarqa. Inspired by their passion for community work, he felt a strong calling to join the Youth Connect learning journey. Despite having a scholarship in Muscat, he decided to return to Jordan and be part of this energy, marking the beginning of his journey.
He took part in the Youth Connect project from September 2024 to March 2025. It all began with an event organised by Naya Community Network, where he learned more about the project and its goals.
Throughout his participation, he found himself among a group of positive and ambitious young people. Together, they shared ideas and explored the challenges facing Zarqa Governorate, discussing, disagreeing, and agreeing. What made the experience truly special for him was the team spirit and the mutual respect they had for each other’s opinions, regardless of differences, without prejudice or assumptions.
One of the most important lessons he took from this experience was a lasting realisation that has stayed with him: ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ He learned to look beyond the surface, to dive deeper, understand the details, and seek solutions rather than simply focusing on the challenges.
This programme not only taught him how to think critically and develop new skills, but it also integrated him into a new community that became his own. He began to explore issues that were once unfamiliar to him, but soon, they became his issues too. He stopped comparing himself to others and started focusing on his own personal growth and how he could make a real difference.
Today, as he enters his first year of university as a mechanical engineer student in Jordan, he sees his journey as the first step on a long path ahead. He’s more aware of the challenges young people face and believes more strongly that his voice, along with the voices of others, can lead to a real change. Looking ahead, he plans to continue his community work and help other young people discover their potential, just as he discovered his own.
‘I learned not to focus only on external appearances, but to dive into the details and look for solutions instead of getting stuck on challenges.’ Hamzah, Youth Connect participant