Scholarship Story: “I never lost hope. I have a purpose again, working with communities and advocating for their health.”

 Eilaf Mohamed, a Sudanese refugee, is pursuing her Master’s in Public Health at Uganda Christian University.

Hi Eilaf! Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm from North Darfur State El-Fasher, and my passion has always been in curative and preventive medicine. I attended El-Firdous School as a mature student, where I obtained Secondary School certificate. I then pursued my Bachelor of Science degree in Medicine at El-Fasher University, where I graduated in 2023.

In April 2024, I was working as a Medical Officer at the Al-Saudi Maternity Hospital, when I got shot by a stray bullet which fractured my heel bone leaving me unable to do anything by myself.

The situation had worsened in El-Fasher, and the whole city was a war zone. Sieges on the city meant everything became unaffordable, so I decided to leave with my mother. When we reached Uganda, I slowly learned how to walk again but I had never fully recovered from the fracture. I found myself living in a plastic tent at the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, lying on the floor with just a blanket given to us by UNHCR and we depended on the aid to eat.

I found it very challenging at first, losing everything I had - especially losing my social network was devastating. But with time, I felt like I'm at home and Ugandans made it easy for me because they are very welcoming and kind-hearted. I was still suffering financially, without my job and no documents from the Sudan Medical Council and to some extent, a disability, which made it even more difficult to find a job.

How did the James Aryam Scholarship change things for you?

I never lost hope - in the settlement, I started volunteering with NGOs, as I used to in Sudan, and that gave me the courage to continue. I became more interested in women’s health advocacy during the war, and I had to also think about my career since I now couldn’t walk or stand for a long time.

I had always wanted to continue my studies in either Psychiatry or Public Health and one day, a friend found a post about the James Aryam Scholarship and told me about it. I applied thinking that even if I'm not qualified, I'll take it as an experience. I was successful, and I am now currently studying a Master’s degree in Public Health at Uganda Christian University. I feel lucky to find a scholarship for the course that I'm passionate about.

I think the James Aryam Scholarship is one of the best for refugees and people from conflict affected areas, as it’s not only removing the whole financial burden but also supporting us in every single step we take, offering help and guidance - that's my favourite part.

What are your goals after you graduate?

As a refugee, I'll go back to the Kiryandongo Settlement and I will continue to volunteer, advocate for health rights, and educate my community. In the long-term, I hope to either pursue a PhD or a job, so that I might be financially able to support other people in the same situation. When it is deemed safe to return to Sudan, I will use all the knowledge I gained to rebuild my country, strengthen its health system, and change communities.

I feel like I have a purpose again, and I am driven to work with communities, advocate for their health and health education, and maybe after a while, I will be able to financially support other women and girls in their education.