“I have a positive side”

Zakaria Hijawi, a student at Kamal odwan School, participated in the Hope Project, which was implemented by Palestine Sports for Life in partnership with Generation Amazing, Qatar Charity, Qatar Funds for Development, and the Ministry of Education.

This is what Zakaria has to say about his success in the program: 

I learned about the program through the school's announcement, and I didn't hesitate for a moment to participate  because I absolutely  love playing  football. When the sessions started, especially the first training, I felt bored because I only wanted to play football. However, what surprised me was that it wasn't just about football. Initially, I was only interested in playing and had no desire to participate in any activity other than football. I was not patient and didn't care about others feelings. I had a negative view of those around me; I just wanted to play football selfishly. But through the training sessions, I felt a sense of integration and my love for commitment in these sessions, which caring about ourselves before caring about football, increased. I understood the meaning of life skills. Those were some of the happiest days of my life, and I'm very happy to have participated in this program. Through it, I met some friends and formed many social relationships. I hope to meet them again.

I also gained some skills, including the changes I felt as a result of commitment and interest. These changes included good communication with others, as well as the ability to express my point of view. I always shared my beliefs with them, and it increased my faith in my abilities. I always motivated myself to make the most of my abilities and skills. I've become better at handling and dealing with pressure. It doesn't matter how one is perceived, but what's more important is to have the passion to continue, endure pain, and not give up. This is who I am now. I have an energy as vast as the universe. I've realized that everyone has a positive side in their life.

• The coach says that the student is very passionate about football and is well-informed about the names of international competitions. However, when talking about them, they negatively expressed their passion for football through selfishness and nervousness in playing. nonetheless , through the gradual implementation of the sessions and the emphasis that winning as a team and belonging to the team is the highest form of happiness, and that losing is not a shame, mistakes do not diminish our value but help us learn to become better. It was quickly noticed that there was good communication with others, and the students became close friends.