Transcriber: Hello, I am Makhtoum Abdalla from Sudan, born in 2004, in Nyala, South Darfur. And on the map, the western part of Sudan is where you find Darfur. For over a decade, the state was affected by conflict, which we were still reeling from. And as a result, since I was four years old, my family have lived in a camp for internally displaced people: an IDP camp for families that have been driven from their homes for one reason or another, to another part of the country. My family was displaced because of conflict, and I was born in a world full of complexity, loss and deprivation. But despite that, my family and I are still here full of hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow. Before the camp, we used to live in a place called Otash village in South Darfur. And as the word “otash” comes from the Arabic word “A’atshan”,

which means thirsty. And it has been called so
for the lack of water resources in that area. And so the name
of our IDP camp is Otash camp. Same name, same issue. It's home to almost 100,000 people
from different villages. I was very young when we left our home, but I can remember the fear
on my family's face as they're getting ready,
leaving everything behind. I could see their pain,
especially on my mother's face. I still remember. My family were one
of the thousands of families that fled. Not everyone was lucky, some lost their lives
while trying to escape. Because the journey was so dangerous, we had to hide frequently along the road. Where we used to live
is only two hours away, but the journey took two days
until we finally reached a safe place, the place that today we call
Otash IDP camp. During the two days
it took my family to the camp,

we had nothing to eat,
and only a little water. My baby brother died from malnutrition, and he was not even two years old. My brother's passing affected me a lot. That's why I decided to go to college
to study nutrition and medicine, just to help others and find ways
to prevent what happened to him. In a world with so much food
and so much prosperity, no one should ever die of hunger. I feel like I owe it to my baby brother
to be better and do better, so I can help people like us, whether from Darfur
or anywhere in the world. I have big dreams, and I know education
is my path to reaching them. Education is a basic right
for every child, and it is the way
each of us can get skills, tools, and power to make
change in our lives and in the world. Education is a basic right
for all children, especially for those who have grown up only knowing violence and conflict.

And education, also, is the way
we make our future more secure and our present more peaceful. A generation needs power to make change. And the greatest power
that's ever known to all is the power of knowledge. When I read books, I feel like I'm no longer
in my tiny room made of hay without electricity in the camp. I feel like I'm confident enough to say
that I'm the captain of my destiny. From my room in the camp, I've been able to travel
through books to Cairo, London, and France, and all the way to Columbia
University in New York. And I know what most people
may think about me, that I'm an internally displaced person. That may be true, but I am more than that. I am patience, I'm hope, dreams, and with education,
I can get where I want to be. Education in an IDP camp is hard, and Otash has certainly had
its ups and downs.

At the beginning, there were no schools nearby. Now there are schools, but they are not always free. And we don't always have access to electricity or access to internet like schools in many other countries. But education should be free for every child, and access to quality education should be a priority and available for all children. Meanwhile, as more people in Darfur have been displaced, the schools inside our camp have become overcrowded. But still, they have big dreams too. And in my state primary school exams, I came in third in the ranking out of thousands of students, which was a huge achievement for me. Soon I will take another test at the end of my secondary school, and then I hope to progress onward to University, moving step by step closer to my ultimate goal. Along the way, I've learned to speak three languages. I speak fluently in Arabic, English, and Turkish. And recently, I started to learn French.

(French) J’ai de grands rêves. (English) Learning languages 
makes me feel powerful, as they challenge my mind. And it also makes me feel
I can communicate with other people, which is important to a connected
and equitable world. And also, it's one of the many ways
that can bring us all together as humans. Because of my academic achievement, a few years ago, UNICEF Sudan
wrote an article about me, in which I shared my biggest dream to one day go to Columbia University and study medicine. And now, today, I am one
of UNICEF Sudan Youth Advocates, championing the rights of other children
to access quality education. I told you, I have big dreams. Since becoming a Youth Advocate
with UNICEF Sudan, I've been emphasizing the importance
of peace and education. And I see how youth
in the camp look up to me, and how my parents and siblings
ooze with pride.

with the opportunities I have been given, which makes me feel proud. And I love seeing everyone in the camp
wants also to fight for education. Recently, I had the opportunity to fly
to the capital of Sudan, Khartoum. It was the first time for me
to be on an airplane and first time also to leave Nyala. I even had the opportunity to meet
the prime minister of Sudan, along with other youth
representing every state in Sudan, which was truly overwhelming for me. I, Makhtoum, from Otash IDP camp, with the Prime Minister of Sudan. But it was also an eye-opener. I connected with other youth
who came to the capital with a heart full of hope
and a mind filled with determination, wanting to share their stories
from their parts in their country. I realized that, despite our different
cultural backgrounds, we were all one. We have the same plight and needs.

But we all wanted one thing: peace and fair treatment, and access to services and opportunities. And this must be true
with every child around the globe. The visit also reminded me that there is so much
unfairness in this world. As I was lying in my hotel room
with A/C on and electricity, I thought of how I struggle in the camp
to study and to sleep because of the lack of electricity. When I study, I rely on flashlights. I can’t help but ask the question: Why? I realized that I'm
in so many ways so lucky because I have opportunities
to succeed in life, and I have the great privilege
to continue to increase awareness about education for all children
like me and across the world. Imagine if they were given the skills,
power, and knowledge. Imagine the difference they would make
in their life and in our world. They have big dreams, too. Education, just like electricity, shouldn't just be for some.

it's a necessity and a right. Just like hopes, dreams, and opportunity. Shining a way forward for each of us and, in turn, allowing us to make
the world better for others. I am Makhtoum Abdalla from Otash IDP camp, but I am so much more than that. I say it proudly. With the power of education, I can make the world a better place. We all can. Thank you.

Makhtoum Abdalla: Education is a fundamental right for every child | TED

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.

TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com