Arzaq Ahmed
Arzaq Ahmad comes from Yemen. she received her Bachelor of Civil Engineering in 2014. She previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Aden, Yemen, before coming to IHE Delft, enrolling for the MSc in Sanitary Engineering.
Arzaq mentions that she encountered the MENA - CD Scholarship during her journy of pursuing a MSc, when her Profoessor in Yemen reccomended this opportunity to her.
On how she discovered her passion for water and the events that motivated her: ''I was always interested in the water sector, especially after the start of the Yemeni Civil War, during which the basic infrastructure was heavily damaged, increasing environmental contamination, which consequently put the environment at risk''
She elaborates:
After the civil war in my country, we started having sewage floods everywhere, and with every rainstorm the city becomes flooded. The worst time when this occurred people actually died because of the poor drainage system in my city. The government should do something about this but I also want to be a part of the solution. And I would love to help!
What made her choose IHE Delft over other insitutuions and univeristies? ''I thought that this is an issue I can do something about and help my country with. The benefits of studying here can be summed in: acquiring a lot of information since I started. It has helped me reach another high level of education.''
Arzaq shares her sentiments toward studying at IHE and about living in Delft: ''I was in quarantine since the first day. Since there are 3 of us who came from Yemen, we were in contact and I got one of these as my roommate. I don’t feel I am alone in this new environment since I have social contact with these people''. She further continues and shares her first impressions: '' Delft is really nice! Especially the place I am residing in, there are a lot of students with whom we share the Islamic culture so I do not feel that I am different from others. Additionally, Dutch people are very friendly and kind-hearted. In the beginning, I was worried that I might feel so different here from other people, since I come from Yemen, I am a Muslim and different. But I did not feel that way. I thought that I might have some bad or difficult days here but things have gone very well. I also thought there might be a gap between me and other fellow students, due to the quality of education back home, but what I have noticed is that all the students are on the same level, so I am relieved and it encouraged me''.