Stories of Change: Faten
My name is Faten. The Azalea Initiative has been an interesting and meaningful journey for me. Before joining, I lacked confidence in connecting with others and leading projects. But through this program, I learned to be more resilient, not only coaching myself but also coaching others like my students and my sisters. Coaching has been one of the best parts of this experience, and I’ve been able to share it with people I care about.
Since completing Azalea, I plan to continue coaching and community involvement, especially focusing on the children in my Arab refugee community. I believe children are our future, so I want to lead projects and activities for them, using the opportunities I have through my school and community.
During the program, I gained the courage to start projects and address community issues. At first, I was hesitant and doubted my abilities, but as I pushed forward and saw the impact, my confidence grew. When participants thanked us for the projects, I felt proud and capable.
However, when I started my impact project, I faced real challenges. Managing many tasks at once made it difficult to focus and deliver everything perfectly. Sometimes, I felt overwhelmed and doubted whether I could do it. But my teammates were going through the same struggles, and together we supported each other, which helped me persevere.
Through Azalea, I became more comfortable meeting new people and sharing my thoughts. Still, I realised how important it is to have a safe space like Azalea, where I can express myself freely and feel accepted. That environment helped me open up in ways I didn’t expect.
Looking ahead, I want to keep developing my leadership and communication skills. Starting conversations and building relationships can be challenging, but I’m eager to learn more.
Summing up my Azalea journey, I would say it’s been a journey of learning and growth. It introduced me to new people, new ideas, and helped me become stronger, more confident, and ready to face future challenges in my community.
