After receiving a scholarship through the World University Service of Canada, Noor Ahmed was able to leave a Kenyan refugee camp to study computer science at Acadia University.
Originally from Somalia, Ahmed didn’t have access to a computer until he was 19 but was immediately drawn to the tech industry. Having a computer for only a few hours a week in the refugee camp meant that he typed slowly and did not possess the same experience as other students.
His performance at the university has inspired his professor to make her course material more accessible for international students.
Ahmed’s journey to Acadia University was not easy. He spent his first six years after high school working at a local school and then at a non-governmental organization in the refugee camp, before receiving his scholarship and getting his papers in order. He wants to remain in Nova Scotia after he graduates, despite missing his family, who remain in the refugee camp.