Meet the father and son duo Mhamad and Zain. They are originally from Homs, Syria but in 2011 had to flee to Egypt. During their 13 years in Egypt, they moved 16 times throughout the region in an effort to find the best place for work. Finally, they settled in an area known as the Sixth of October City, about 20 miles from downtown Cairo. There Mhamad was able to open up his own business fixing broken copper wires from generators and motors for other businesses and companies. His oldest children were able to attend college. Zain studied mechatronics, a multidisciplinary major of engineering, mechanics, and electricity, while his eldest son studied physical therapy.
When Zain was not traveling the two hours back and forth to classes he would work. He held multiple jobs throughout his teenage years, from working at a coffee shop to a convenience store, to a pharmacy, where he learned how to vaccinate people. In February, after a 13-year wait, they finally moved to the US.
Mhammad and Zain are happy to now be here in Rhode Island, and we’ve loved having them in our program. Our whole team especially enjoyed the Koushri, a kind of street food popular in Cairo that they cooked for our communal dinner. They are both excited for what life has to offer and for new beginnings.
