Maryame has taken the lessons learned from her exchange year to make a difference in her community.
In January, Zainab Al Mahari (YES ’09, Bahrain) participated in a project called "Baitkum Baitna," which means "your house is our house." Many languages have a way to express this cultural value - hospitality and community support. In Baitkum Baitna, Zainab took this expression to a whole new level by dedicating her time and energy to support a family in need.
The organizing committee for this project went through a process to select four less fortunate families with homes that were in poor condition, and then helped them renovate the homes. Zainab was on a team that was responsible for one of the houses. Her team made a huge impact on the house they worked on. They made several repairs and provided new furniture, making the house seem brand new for the owners.
For those of us with stable housing, it's easy to take for granted that we have a safe and comfortable place to live. Zainab went the extra mile to make this possible for another family in her community.