Uniquely catering for teenagers, 95% of our students have no prior formal education – 90% start illiterate and/or innumerate and are potential victims of child marriage or child labour. In under 5 months they thrive in literacy and numeracy – all eager for more.

Beyond that, within just six years, our students can learn what is usually taught in 12-13 years of schooling. This is testament to their resilience, as well as the effectiveness of our programme. With this accelerated progress, the first cohort of students are academically ready for the next step – university. However, despite their achievements through Alsama, their lack of a globally recognised certification is a serious barrier for them.

To address this Alsama is creating the G12++, the world’s first tech-powered exam-based certification specifically designed for refugees. It helps refugee youth demonstrate their abilities and unlock opportunities for higher education and employment. It helps universities and employers access this talent.

The G12++ is currently in development, with a prototype already exceeding expectations. It evaluates foundational academic skills and life skills including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and adaptability. It is designed to be challenging, contextual for refugees, affordable and deliverable in refugee camps provided there is computer and Wi-Fi access.

Alsama's students are the tip of the iceberg. Imagine you are among the millions of displaced youth globally. Your challenges are similar to those of Alsama students. You have talent, but due to displacement you may have experienced interrupted schooling, inconsistent curricula, or even been self-taught. Unless you want to be among the 93% of displaced youth excluded from university, you too need a globally recognised high school equivalent certificate to progress. The G12++ is your answer.

The importance of the G12++ was further proven during the recent escalation in conflict in the region. Alsama continued teaching online and students continued their studies despite further displacement. Many students returned to Syria, completing their lessons by torchlight in the night to avoid scrutiny from neighbours: a testament to resilience and talent.

The year ahead is exciting and will see more key initiatives.  We are finalising the G12++ product, collaborating with prestigious assessment consultants and refugee content writers; beta-testing the exam with ~200 refugee youth; and securing formal international accreditation and recognition. We will “scale the product”, digitising the exam so it can be taken even in the most hard-to-access refugee camps and further expanding the number of universities and employers keen to accept  the G12++ certificate. These initiatives all have real costs. Alsama works like a lean, efficient, and agile startup with grassroots understanding, ensuring that every penny spent has real impact.

The growth of the G12++ complements our commitment to franchising Alsama’s model to other countries and regions that could benefit from it, with the hope of giving refugees opportunities on a global scale. Our product provides a model for low cost education centres, our 6-year accelerated curriculum and, of course, the G12++.

Of all the projects I have worked on, Alsama is my proudest achievement – and it is only the beginning. Being able to carry the project forward in the face of war is something that has only been possible due to generous donations and funding.

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