“Hope is born from the womb of suffering”: this phrase truly encapsulates the journey of Team Hope and other refugee students. They overcame the harsh realities of war and deteriorating living conditions to demonstrate resilience and inspire vulnerable children worldwide. Team Hope reformed the perception regarding refugees from dependent individuals to independent and capable ambassadors of hope and willing change-makers who are striving to rebuild their country again. In 2016, Team Hope was established in Lebanon, composed of young Syrian refugees who fled the war in Syria. Their goal was to restore hope for refugees globally and conquer the difficult circumstances they faced. Despite the challenges of war and difficult living conditions, this team demonstrated resilience and aimed to inspire all vulnerable children around the world. This was done through participating in national, regional, and international robotics competitions and ranking at outstanding levels with over 45 prizes. Team Hope took part in various training courses as part of an initiative. This prepared them to win more than 20 national awards, one regional award, and seven international awards. Between 2016 and 2023, Team Hope participated in Robotics Challenges, and earned three awards on the international level with their outstanding achievement of winning first place twice; in Dubai (2019) and in Singapore (2023).

Team Hope is currently focused on the FIRST Global Challenge: Feeding the Future. This gives them the opportunity to show their skills and contribute to addressing hunger by working to create a sustainable food system. Team Hope believes that refugees, who are among the worst affected by hunger, can offer innovative solutions to help solve this issue. Team Hope is ready to tackle this challenge with their innovative thinking, just as they did last year in Singapore, where Team Hope won the competition.

Team Hope mentors and students:

Team Hope is guided by three mentors; Mr. Yamen Najjar, Mr. Mohamad Marwa, and Mr. Ahmad Alsharbaji.

Mr. Yamen Najjar manages the Continuing Education and Community Service (CECS) program at Multi Aid Programs (MAPs). He has a professional background in computer science and was the team mentor in 2019 and 2023 when Team Hope won the competition.

Mr. Mohamad Marwa is the supervisor of the robotics project at MAPs organization. He has been a mechanical engineer and mentor to Team Hope since its establishment. Mr. Mohamad directly supervises the design of the robot and assembly.

Mr. Ahmad Alsharbaji was a member of the Hope Team and participated in more than one competition. He is now a mentor for the Hope Team and is still with the Hope Team, participating with them in spreading robotics and STEM education.

Team Hope students:

1. Haitham Jamour is a 17-year-old high school student. He is passionate about robotics and dreams of becoming a successful computer engineer. He joined the robotics team to pursue his passion and to make his homeland proud. Haitham’s dedication and drive make him a promising competitor in robotics. His role in the team is focused on designing the robot, the movement mechanism, and the joystick control.

2. Shahd Al-Mrayati is a 17-year-old first-year high school student. Shahd dreams of becoming a computer engineer. She is working hard to gain programming and robotics skills to make her dream come true. Shahd also strives to show the world her potential as a refugee by participating in this competition. Her role in the team is to design the engineer’s notebook and conduct research.

3. Tasneem Misho is a 16-year-old student. She loves engaging in robotics and values this domain as it teaches her how to think logically and critically. Tasneem wishes that one day she will become a programmer or a professor in one of the top prestigious universities. Her role in the team is to design the engineer’s notebook, conduct research, and assist in robot programming.

4. Doha Latifa is an 18-year-old first-year high school student. She is very interested in learning robotics. She aims to pursue a university degree in informational technology. Her role in the team is to help the team in robot programming.

5. Youmna Al Halabi is a 17-year-old high school student. Youmna has shown interest in robotics since she was a child. Yomna is driven by her passion for robotics and dreams of creating robots that can solve real-life problems. She dreams of becoming a successful robotics engineer in the future. Youmna’s role in the team is to design the engineer’s notebook and conduct research.

6. Mohammad Al Sabbagh is an 18-year-old high school student. Mohammad’s passion for robotics drove him to join the team. Mohammad hopes one day to become a successful pilot whom his country will be proud of. His role includes handling programming tasks in collaboration with other team members.

7. Khaled Al Masri is a 17-year-old school student. He has a passion for robotics and programming. Khaled‘s role includes creating and editing the design of the robot.

8. Yamama Alkhatib is a 17-year-old student. She is very interested in learning robotics and programming. Yamama’s role in the team is concentrated on robot programming.

9. Nour Aldeen Alsheble is a 17-year-old school student. Nour enjoys being involved in the robotics club. He values this domain as it taught him to think logically and critically and believes this would allow him to change the world through robotics. Nour collaborates with other team members to design the robot and perform mechanical and engineering tasks.

Thank you to our supporters!

Team Media