Ali Al-Tharwan
Zarqa, Jordan
PepsiCo Foundation ExCEL Award, 2010

When you take a look at any person's life, you see that they have goals they want to achieve, and for which they study and work. Arriving at those goals -- a good life, happiness – is more valuable than any amount of money. But during the attempt to get there, waves of adversity send you back, and you have to imagine a strong wind from behind, pushing you toward your dreams. Growing up poor, in a poor suburb, in a poor city made my dreams very distant.

My father was a driver for Pepsi; he worked hard and took on additional hours to make enough for me, two sisters and two brothers to live on. Any small aid for college was a big deal for us. One morning, my father called me. "Ali, the ExCEL program is open." This was great news, and we quickly took an application, filled it out and submitted it with a prayer: "Please, God, help us."

After the application was evaluated, I received the scholarship. Now, our life is more beautiful, and each day makes my dream come closer.

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