From Adversity to Achievement: Shamah’s Journey of Resilience and Success

Many adult students must overcome significant barriers to achieve their life goals. These students face difficult circumstances and responsibilities in their pursuit of adult learning experiences. This award recognizes those who have faced adversity and persevered to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life.

Shamah is from a small village in Yemen called Houf, where educational opportunities—especially for women—are scarce. She has six sisters and four brothers. Her mother was a housewife, and her father passed away in a car accident when she was 10 years old. She grew up working on the family farm. In 2015, while waiting for her green card, war broke out in Yemen. For her safety, she had to flee, making three 18-hour boat trips to Djibouti.

Finally, in October 2016, she received her green card and arrived in the United States. In August 2017, she enrolled at Clovis Adult Education to learn English. She stopped attending school for about six months in 2019, devastated by the loss of her mother. However, she returned with more determination than ever to learn English and earn her high school diploma. In 2021, she obtained her driver's license and U.S. citizenship—an enormous accomplishment for her, as women in her village were not allowed to drive. She transitioned to ABE and earned her high school diploma in April 2024.
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Shamah is currently enrolled at Clovis Community College and plans to study computer science. She believes determination and hard work are the keys to success.