"Ignorance is bliss", what an absurd remark, I used to think, until

the 2011 Arab Spring threw me into a world of Libyan crime and
corruption. The sudden awareness of the despotic system I'm
living under acts as my anchor; it weighs me down but also
provides me with solid determination to create a positive impact
on society. My fascination with the changeable nature of law and
human cultures stems from my passion for social justice, which I
believe can only be achieved once the law protects rather than
oppresses, and that is the change I want to be a part of.
My family's decision to move to Madrid in search of safety
seemed exciting as I love diversity and travel. However, much to
my surprise, I was introduced to racial and religious dynamics in
the West as I faced prejudice and bigotry. Tyranny seemed
worldwide, from the nonexistent civil liberty, women's rights, and
rape culture in Libya, to the police brutality in America, to the
burkini ban in France. Adopting a critical eye taught me that
hostility wasn't fuelled by hate, but rather fear and ignorance. By
responding to hostility with an open-minded and respectful
attitude, I seek to counteract negative stereotypes and transform
fear into trust and understanding.
A quiet sense of self-reliance and confidence have arisen in me,
guiding my desire to understand different values and cultures by
working with marginalised communities. Through working with
the NGO Wafa Relief, both in Libya and Tunisia, we organised
events for Libyan refugees to stimulate a spirit of community and
distract from the horrors of war. Witnessing their dire situation led
us to visit the internally displaced camp in collaboration with the
NGO 'Clean Up Tripoli' to promote healthier living conditions.
Volunteering with the NGOs IMC and Unicef in an orphanage,
revealed the blatant lack of state-funded care and education,
spurring me to organise a fundraising festival at a private school
to fund the furnishing of a nursery in an IDP's camp. I previously
worked with children in the Child Art Expo hosted by the Libyan

NGO 7th April where disabled children expressed themselves

through art, which taught me to become more patient and
communicative towards people with different needs and ways of
learning. My own love of the therapeutic power of art and selfexpression led me to volunteer to paint images on the walls of a
new school in Tripoli, encouraging a fun atmosphere of learning in
the midst of war. Wafa Relief also promoted this sentiment
through their education campaign, allowing us travel to two
remote villages to establish the first nursery and library.
Furthermore, visiting the Nursing home with '17th April' showed
me the importance of interacting with all kinds of people while
creating a space of support and safety through non-judgemental
listening. Through the Dale Carnegie course I attended, I was
drawn to the importance of people skills, challenging comfort
zones and working in groups. I experienced the power of team
work whilst volunteering with The Association of Syrian Support, a
Spanish NGO, to load trucks with donated goods to send to Syria.
So far, my participation in civil society has made the prevalent
cruelty in our world axiomatic, teaching me not only how to be
compassionate, but also how to maintain a certain detachment to
remain emotionally focused on shaping a better future.
Although I eventually plan to focus on human rights law, my main
aim is to become a trusted lawyer while understanding and
protecting the attribute that connects us all; humanity. Having
been a part of the potent change that small-scale NGOs create in
the absence of law and resources, I have great hopes for the
formidable effects that an efficient leadership and justice system
back home, and worldwide, could achieve, which is my ultimate
goal.