Worku's Story

Youth in School

City: Beit Shemesh

Worku arrived to the city of Beit Shemesh in Israel with his family in the summer of 2006, at the age of 8. He explains – not without a wince – that he remembers almost everything. When Worku made aliyah, his parents did not explain to him where they were going, for how long, or why, and he recalls that the chaos and struggle of uprooting his life felt confusing and pointless. Things didn’t get any less confusing when Worku arrived in Israel, for the transition to a foreign culture and an unfamiliar school system was not easy and he struggled to learn math and English. Worku’s difficulties in math became a big obstacle to his childhood dream of becoming an electrical engineer and his quiet, modest demeanor made it difficult for him to ask for what he needed. However, when Worku joined ENP’s SPACE Program, he gained a new network of support to ensure that he was receiving the help that he needed. With the assistance and advocacy of his SPACE coordinator and teachers, Worku’s grades dramatically improved and he was enrolled in the highest level in math. Today, Worku is tracked in a prestigious pre-army program for engineers.