Does the Syrian Association receive any funding?
We are aware that funding is important for an organisation’s growth and sustainability. The Syrian Association currently operates without any source of funding. The Syrian Association is a peer support international network that helps Syrian students through mentoring, answering their questions, reviewing their admission applications, organising workshops, creating videos, etc. At present, these activities do not require funding. They require knowledgeable volunteers who dedicate part of their time to support students, and we are lucky to have a great team of volunteers keen on doing this.
Does the Syrian Association have any political involvement or attachment?
The Syrian Association is not involved in politics at all and will never be. In fact, one of our main guiding principles is impartiality and neutrality. We are a body focused solely on helping students regardless of their backgrounds. We strongly believe that education is a human right and; therefore, we help every Syrian claim this right and, later on, play a positive role in the development of Syria.
How does the Syrian Association mitigate the impact of the brain drain in Syria?
Like in any war context, the brain drain in Syria has taken a toll on all aspects of life. Tackling the brain drain is a complicated matter that requires intervention on all levels. Syrian students are now spread all over the world. They study in the best universities and work in the best organisations. The Syrian Association plays its role in mitigating the impact of this through creating a platform to connect Syrian students and graduates around the world to transfer their knowledge and skills and develop Syria. We stay connected with them and always work on rechannelling and redirecting their energy, skills, and knowledge towards Syria.
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