July 30, 2018

Hassan lives in a rural farming community in Jordan. His dad died when he was young, so Hassan and his brothers dropped out of school to work on a local farm.

This was the only choice that stood between his family and starvation.

"I dropped out of school in the ninth grade because I cared more about providing for my family than going to school," said Hassan.

 

1

Hassan comes from a family of farmers. “I love the smell and color of freshly plowed earth,” described Hassan.

He likes being outside and working alongside his brothers and cousins. Hassan wanted to keep farming, but it's seasonal work and the income can be unpredictable. Stressful for a young guy supporting his family!

Now Hassan can see that it would have been better to finish 10th grade, go to technical school and get a certificate to get a good job to improve his earning potential and broaden his future options. But at the time he made the decision to drop out, he made the best choice he could. And choosing between going to class or watching your family go hungry isn't much of a choice at all.

 

2

There was no way for Hassan to go back to school when he had decided to unmake that decision — he was too old to fit back in. But he wasn't too old for Questscope. Our alternative education program is just right for the Hassans of our world — who need a second chance.

We're flexible to the changing needs of youth. Hassan needed people who would listen to him and understand his specific needs. Our flexible schedule allowed Hassan to continue farming while attending school.

We go way beyond one–size–fits–all solutions: we listen to real dreams and design real solutions. Hassan put it like this: "I made a mistake in deciding to leave school, but I could unmake that decision because I got a second chance with Questscope."