A Welsh college has launched a scholarship fund for young refugees as part of a charity Christmas challenge.

UWC Atlantic College has been selected by The Big Give, the UK’s largest matched-funding campaign, to feature in its annual Christmas fundraiser. The college in South Wales aims to raise £34,250 in just one week, as part of a scheme to provide education opportunities to refugee children.

The internationally renowned UWC Atlantic, founder of the UWC (United World Colleges) global education movement, will use the funds to support one young person coming to the college in 2023.

Opportunity for refugees to study on equal level with people from across the world

Current UWC Atlantic student Yeva, who had to flee the war in Ukraine in February this year, said: “Education for me is my passion. I appreciate the opportunity given to me at UWC Atlantic, and I appreciate the people and sense of community that is here.

“When you make donations to something like The Big Give, you are helping people from less privileged backgrounds to have the opportunity to study on an equal level with people from all over the world.”

Yeva features in UWC Atalntic’s campaign film about the Big Give Christmas Challenge alongside fellow students Obaid from Afghanistan, Tenzin from Tibet and Milad from Afghanistan, all of whom are refugees.

Empowering young people to become leaders

UWC Atlantic has a history of empowering other young people to become leaders of their communities when they return home.

Mai Al Qaisi, a Palestinian refugee who attended UWC Atlantic from 2007-09 and now works for Action Aid in Bethlehem, said: “After receiving my education at UWC Atlantic and Exeter University, I was confident enough to believe that I could make a positive change in society. I returned to my hometown to inspire and support young refugees to strengthen their voices to become leaders in the future.

“Going beyond the two years at the college and putting my learnings into practices during the implementation of all my voluntary work and indeed throughout the rest of my life have improved my skills and values which I learnt at UWC Atlantic. I became empowered to take the next steps on the journey of being an active agent for positive change.”

Big Give seven-day donation matching challenge

Donations made to the UWC Atlantic campaign via the Big Give will be matched for seven days, starting on Giving Tuesday, 29 November 2022 and ending on Tuesday 6 December 2022.