AUIF/Arbat Brighter Future

Arbat Brighter Future is a unique and special project, offering the opportunity for a university education to young Syrians living in Arbat refugee camp. This camp is located in Iraqi Kurdistan, 30 km from Sulaimanyah, sheltering some 10,000 refugees (over half who are under 18 years old), who fled the horrors of the war in Syria, It was initiated by Florence Robichon, an artist and interior architect who spent three years in the region, from 2015-1018. Her volunteer project, together with the children of Arbat camp, created over 50 large scale mural paintings of their designs, expressing their hopes and dreams, bringing color and joy to the dusty, grey cinderblock walls of their environ... read more Arbat Brighter Future is a unique and special project, offering the opportunity for a university education to young Syrians living in Arbat refugee camp. This camp is located in Iraqi Kurdistan, 30 km from Sulaimanyah, sheltering some 10,000 refugees (over half who are under 18 years old), who fled the horrors of the war in Syria, It was initiated by Florence Robichon, an artist and interior architect who spent three years in the region, from 2015-1018. Her volunteer project, together with the children of Arbat camp, created over 50 large scale mural paintings of their designs, expressing their hopes and dreams, bringing color and joy to the dusty, grey cinderblock walls of their environment. While volunteering, and getting to know the families, Florence quickly realized how the lack of options for the teenagers left them with little to do after high school graduation, and a bleak outlook for the future. Thus, the mural project became the beginning of her idea to initiate a scholarship fund that would assure qualified 12th grade students' entry into American University of Iraq in Sulaimanyah (AUIS). This opportunity for a university education instantly gave hope to the thousands of children in the camp, inspiring commitment to their studies and motivating them to seek better opportunities than an uncertain and risky emigration. With the effective involvement of AUIS President who generously agreed to a significant reduction of tuition fees, AUIS Foundation, and donors around the world, the project was launched early 2018. After intense fundraising, the first 3 scholarship beneficiaries (out of 20 who met qualifications) were selected and began their studies January 2019. Tuition free, they are assured 2 years of academic preparatory work (to assist with the transition from a disrupted educational system) and 4 years of university coursework leading to a bachelor degree. Based on this first achievement, today's objective is to secure scholarships for 3 new students every year for the next 12 years, which means 1,3 M US$ of fund raising (each student cost is 36 000 US$ for 6 years studies, including tuitions, dorm fees and books). From administrative and financial view point the project is hosted by AUIF ( American University of Iraq Foundation) which opened a special account for that.