Rakan’s story at SOS Children’s Villages began in 2017, when he was in third grade—a small child of eight years old, deeply affected by the difficult environment he came from. His academic performance was very weak; he could not read or write, and he struggled even with the simplest arithmetic operations. English felt like an entirely unreachable world for him.

But the challenge was not only academic. Rakan was a shy child, afraid to raise his hand or speak up in class.

At that moment, Mama Rahma saw what others could not… she saw a child who needed someone to believe in him. From there, her journey with him began. She was present for him every day. She dedicated time at the end of each school day, sitting with him at his desk to study the core subjects step by step, with love and patience. She rebuilt his Arabic writing skills, taught him the letters, and encouraged him to participate in class, even if he made mistakes.

Mama Rahma says: “The most important thing I supported him with was not being afraid to participate, and that even if he made mistakes, I would always be by his side.”

Her support remained constant through both success and setbacks. She understood what he had been through and the impact it had on him. This journey continued until seventh grade, when Rakan joined the remedial education program. There, the real transformation began. He showed remarkable effort, especially in English, which had once been his biggest challenge. With every step forward, Mama Rahma’s confidence in him grew, and with it, his confidence in himself.

But the change did not stop at academics.

Mama Rahma noticed his passion for football; the spark that appeared in his eyes whenever he played. She did not ignore it; instead, she worked to develop it. She reached out to a sports center in Bethlehem, eventually managing to enroll him and his siblings in a football academy.

Today, Rakan is no longer that fearful child. He is now a 15-year-old young man, excelling in his studies, more confident in himself, and his football skills continue to grow. He plays in matches with confidence and participates in sports events, the most recent being the 10th Palestine Marathon in Bethlehem.