Maya Ghazal, a refugee who fled war-torn Syria at 15 years old, shared her inspiring journey of overcoming obstacles to become the first female Syrian pilot at the International Government Communication Forum in Sharjah. She recounted the challenges her family faced in the UK, including being rejected by schools and facing stereotypes due to her refugee status. Maya emphasized that many of the hurdles she faced were a result of being a refugee, with people assuming her skills and abilities were limited.
Despite being initially told that her English wasn’t good enough to study political science, Maya found a new passion in aviation after being inspired by watching planes at Heathrow Airport. At the age of 21, she achieved her dream of becoming the first female Syrian refugee pilot by obtaining her private pilot license. Currently, at 25 years old, Maya is training to become a commercial pilot and aims to earn her ‘wings’ in 2025.
Using her platform, Maya highlighted the educational disparities faced by refugees globally. She pointed out that nearly 15 million school-aged refugees exist worldwide, with half not attending school, and only 6% pursuing higher education compared to a third of non-refugee peers. During a visit to the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, she met Marwa, a talented student facing barriers to further education due to a lack of scholarships.
Maya stressed the importance of increased investment in refugee education and collaboration among various entities to bridge the educational gap. As a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, she advocates for refugee rights and the transformative power of education. Maya is dedicated to helping UNHCR achieve its goal of increasing refugee higher education enrollment to 15% over the next decade, underscoring the vital role education plays in empowering displaced youth and achieving sustainable development.
