My journey in music was never an easy one. I grew up in a society where many customs and traditions place restrictions on women’s voices, but I always believed that my voice was not something to hide. It was a message meant to be heard. I sang knowing that the road ahead would demand determination before I could stand confidently and say: this is who I am, and this is my voice.
When I received a scholarship from Tawakkol Karman Foundation, I felt as though a lifelong dream was finally beginning to come true. It was some of the happiest news I had ever received. The scholarship gave me the opportunity to study singing at the Higher Institute of Arabic Music at the Academy of Arts in Egypt, where I was able to learn Arabic music at its source and gain the training and experience that made me more confident and better prepared to perform on stage without fear or hesitation.
My journey was about much more than earning a degree. It became proof of what I could achieve when given the right opportunity. From my first year at the Academy, I ranked first in my class for five consecutive years. In 2026, I graduated with distinction and honors, becoming the first Yemeni woman to place first throughout her years of study at the Higher Institute of Arabic Music — an achievement I am incredibly proud of.
Today, I am academically qualified in the field I have always loved and fought to pursue, but I do not see graduation as the end of the journey. I will continue learning, drawing joy and inspiration from music, and working toward taking my voice to larger stages and wider audiences.
If I had to sum up what the Tawakkol Karman Foundation scholarship meant to me, I would simply say: “It was the dream of my life, and it came true.”
Words may never fully express how grateful I am to the Foundation. You planted a seed, and excellence was the result. Today, my degree, my honors, and my academic ranking are what I offer in return — proof that this scholarship made a real difference and that the opportunity reached someone who was ready to make the most of it.
