Photo: Laith with one of his teachers in the US in 2004

For the YES alumni who were part of the very first year of YES, in 2003, a lot has changed in 15 years! For the fifteenth anniversary, Laith Hajarat (YES 2003 - 2004, Jordan) shares his perspective looking back:

“I was one of the lucky candidates selected for YES in its very first year. The program is still up and running which I believe is due to its significant influence on both the participants and the communities they live with, sharing knowledge, culture, and experience. The YES Program is a once in a life experience yet with an ongoing life time impact! 

"This experience did not just add to my educational and cultural exposure and knowledge but rather extended to affect my personal life and career being a successful member of the society on both the individual and professional level, contributing to its growth and prosperity. Throughout the years, it never slipped my mind how the YES Program played a key role in developing my set of traits and skills allowing me to reach this point of being a responsible household husband who holds an Industrial Engineering degree and is currently the HR Manager for a private shareholding business services company. YES has always put me in the lead to be praised and distinguished among my fellow colleagues.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of whom were behind the creation and introduction of this program and also to appreciate the continuous efforts put by the ones responsible for running it and keeping it going until today.”