When Zamzam Ahmed arrived in the United States, she faced a number of obstacles. Now, she aims to take advantage of the opportunities available to her.

Born in 1998, Zamzam grew up as a refugee in Kenya. She lived with a large group of family members including uncles, cousins, and grandparents. When she was seventeen years old, Zamzam and her family moved to Kakuma, home to one of the largest refugee camps in Kenya. She lived there for fourteen months while she waited for her family to be selected for resettlement in the United States.

Zamzam was very happy when she got the news that her family was moving, but her sentiments changed once her flight landed in Minnesota. During her first two weeks in the United States, Zamzam struggled to transition into her new life. She didn’t speak any English, couldn’t find the bus stop, and had trouble in school.

Currently, Zamzam is a student at Wellstone International High School in Minneapolis. After she completes her high school education, Zamzam hopes to become a doctor and return to her home country of Kenya. She wants to help the community there and see her many family members still living in Kenya.