Ouwais Sadek: a testimony about generosity

"The announcement by the Catholic University to grant new scholarships for several refugees in Portugal reflects the generosity of Portuguese culture", this is how Ouwais Sadek, assesses the scholarship programme for refugees that the Universidade Católica recently launched, in conversation with Rui Marques, President of the Padre António Vieira Institute, IPAV .

The student of Syrian origin, member of IPAV and of the Ubuntu Leaders Academy, said that it was through a scholarship granted by the Universidade Católica Portuguesa that he managed to graduate: "Fortunately, the Universidade Católica saved me from that darkness, granting me a scholarship in a field that I so much wanted to study, which is [of] Social and Cultural Communication".

Ouwais describes her journey at the Universidade Católica as: "a very beautiful journey I have made in these three years, it may be easy and simple for my colleagues, but for me it was never like that. I went through linguistic difficulties and frustrations at the beginning, because I started learning Portuguese at the beginning of university. The fact that the university teachers supported me by allowing me to write in English was invaluable. Despite these difficulties I managed to get to the end of the course where I passed my self-imposed challenge."

The student, author of the testimony, was recently the face of the Universidade Católica scholarship programme, aimed at students in humanitarian emergency situations, which arises under the national effort for the reception and integration of refugees and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations. Under the programme 24 vacancies were opened for 17 undergraduate courses in Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Viseu, with exemption of tuition fees, whose application period ended on 6 July.

According to the student, "these scholarships serve as a free ticket for a journey that ends with optimism and promotes the building of bridges between nationalities, these students and the local community". Ouwais ends by pointing out: "I am very proud to be on the poster that announced this initiative".

Consult here the testimony shared with Rui Marques.