Ghulam Ali Doulat was born in Afghanistan and raised in Pakistan. In 2001, his parents were forced to flee from their home country when the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. Ghulam’s father was a solider in the defeated Afghan army so he had no choice but to escape from his country together with his wife and eight children. Ghulam is the ninth and youngest child. Celebrating his 18th birthday this year as a student of UWC Red Cross Nordic in Norway, Ghulam has a striking ability to see the best in any circumstances that come his way. In this spirit he considers being born and raised in Pakistan to an Afghani family as a start of process for recognising the values in diversity:

“I feel more at home in Karachi where I was born and raised. It is a very diverse town. I grew up listening to a variety of languages and dialects, knowing different cultures and looks of people. From an early age, I learned how to build bridges and to live with others in harmony. Growing up in this society sensitised me to differences. If we choose to work together towards a common goal rather than highlighting our differences, we can achieve so much together. Diversity adds colour and flavour to life and can be a source for peace to the mind and among individuals, societies and nations.”

Ghulam is still deeply concerned about the situation that forced his family to live in exile – the absence of peace in Afghanistan. He knows the misery that conflict and war bring to the lives of children, women and society at large. That is why he values peace so highly.

“Peace is freedom. Peace means that people can pursue their ambition of building a better future without major hindrances. Peace is a pre-condition for the development of a country.”

Ghulam is one of the five students that are going to take part in this year’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony as representatives of UWC Red Cross Nordic. This year the award goes to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali for his important work to promote reconciliation, solidarity and social justice. As a student who came from a war-torn country, this resonates with Ghulam’s personal experience and his view of peace.

“There are many reasons why I am looking forward to attending the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo. I am going there with the expectation to learn from the wisdom of a man who has managed to bring solutions to what has been an ongoing and serious conflict in his region. So I am eager to learn about what Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed Ali has to say about conflict resolution. Because I know it is not easy to bring two opposing sides into agreement from the story of my own country. Knowing this will help me in the future to contribute to building peace in Afghanistan.”

Genet Ashebir

For Hannah Mulbah (Liberia), joining UWCRCN is not merely a matter of getting a quality high school education. It is about breaking free from the negative stereotyping that she grew up with due to her disability. Hannah was five years old when, one morning, she fell on the ground and couldn’t get up by herself. Her parents took her to hospital, where she stayed for around a month, with no change in her condition. Her legs and arms were paralyzed, and she couldn’t walk. Her father realized that he couldn’t afford to pay the hospital bills any more. Then her Aunt, who lived in a rural area, offered to take Hannah home with her. Her parents agreed that she could live with her aunt until she was able to walk again – this is something that happened 5 years later, at the age of 10. It was not only the condition of her body but also the lack of support from the surroundings that made it difficult. “I had to learn to walk like a baby, trying to walk and fall, get up and try again. My bones were too weak to support me walking. It took me five years to be able to walk without falling now and then. If my aunt didn’t take me, who would have covered for a bill in an institution for such a long time?”

Once she regained her ability to walk, Hannah was determined that she was not going to stay home while her siblings were at school. ‘You cannot do this’ was something she would often hear. Even though it could make her sad and heavy-hearted, it did not stop her from going to school. “I kept trying to walk despite the pain I would get from falling. The long time it took me to reach somewhere didn’t make me give up! The most difficult part was to convince the school that I wanted to learn. The teachers, when they saw my wounds in my knee and arms, and me falling repeatedly, told me to go home and stay there until I get well, but I refused to do so.”

Hannah joined UWCRCN through the Survivors of Conflict Program. She has completed the Foundation year and is now in the first year of the IB program. She is actively doing physical exercises and training under the careful guidance of Physiotherapist Guro Hjelle Aamot at Red Cross Haugland Rehabilitation. This has helped her to build up stamina, strength and mobility. The girl who used to be told to stay at home due to her physical limitations while walking, now is taking part in out-door activities such as kayaking, hiking and skiing. “When I do these activities, I feel happy because in the first place, I didn’t have these opportunities before. I used to not be included when people play games like soccer and the like, with me just watching. Now, I am included, and it helps me to find my strength. At first, I was scared to get into the kayak, but now, I can jump into it as fast as I can and start paddling. It boosts my confidence when I see myself doing that. I feel good about myself and become more comfortable among other people.”

In summarizing her experience at UWCRCN, Hannah says it is a place that is giving her independence. She is confident that at the end of her 3 years stay, she will leave the College with a clear vision of her future. “My passion is to see myself finish my education and to do what other people without disability can do. I want to feel human like everybody else. I want to have that feeling and passion about life. I do not want to be limited by my disability . I want to challenge myself with whatever is coming to my path in life.”

Written by Genet Ashebir