Behind the camera: Bahaa’s story

Bahaa’s photography journey started with the five megapixel camera on his old iPhone 4. Whilst at school in Iraq, Bahaa used to take photos of everything, developing his creative eye and love for the medium. But when Bahaa was forced to flee to Jordan, his educational journey was interrupted.

At first, he enrolled in a local government school to focus on growing his knowledge and gaining a certificate. But the situation in Jordan became increasingly difficult for refugees, and he found himself unable to continue learning. He left school so that he could work and support his family, a situation that is all too familiar for displaced youth. Throughout these very challenging circumstances, taking photos was a constant. “Photography gives my life meaning”, Bahaa reflects.

It was through a friend that he first heard about Amala. He recalls feeling hopeful; here was his chance to get back into education. “I was excited to apply”, says Bahaa, after hearing about his friend’s Amala experience and the flexibility to be able to work as well as obtain his secondary diploma. From the first day, Bahaa noticed a difference between Amala and mainstream education. “The educators and the environment changed my mind about school”. Amala gave Bahaa space to truly understand what he was learning. And not just that - “Amala became a home for me”, says Bahaa.

“The environment at Amala is helpful and supportive. The education system is totally different and makes it easier for students to actually understand what they’re learning.”

Through Amala, Bahaa found his interest in photography growing, and using the skills he was developing at Amala, began to turn it from a hobby into a career. He found a tutor, learnt to shoot and develop analogue film, and from there began to teach himself through YouTube and experimenting and applying his learning to digital cameras.

“The network I built at Amala helped me to connect with different organisations, and all the projects I did helped me develop as a photographer”, Bahaa says. His graduate project, the Personal Interest Project (PIP), which he titled Success Zone, focused on Bahaa’s journey in photography and first forays into filmmaking, culminating in a short film where he shared his creative process. “The audience loved it so much, which I wasn’t expecting!” Bahaa beams. Through the PIP, Bahaa also facilitated a photography workshop, teaching beginners to shoot creative pictures.

Graduation was a big milestone. It was the first time Bahaa had graduated from a school. “I was excited for my family to share that happiness with me. But I feel a bit sad when I think about not studying at Amala any more - it was like my second home”. At the graduation venue, Bahaa exhibited his work, which focused on cultural integration and how Amala creates community, through photographs of his Amala classmates. “When their families saw the photos, they were really happy”.

*Bahaa on graduation day with the Amala Jordan team*

Since Amala, Bahaa’s photography career has taken off. He’s now working with organisations like Collateral Repair Project, freelancing, and volunteering with groups that support refugees in Jordan. Bahaa has remained connected to Amala post-graduation, grateful to the educators who still help him find opportunities such as scholarships which will help him to develop professionally.

Looking ahead, Bahaa dreams of becoming a filmmaker - not just to create art, but to tell stories that matter. “I want to achieve something big in photography,” he says. He proudly remembers one of his most meaningful pieces of coursework at Amala, a photography series about his classmate Marina, an Iraqi refugee and musician. Bahaa’s photos are rich illustrations of resilience, nostalgia and Marina’s success in music, despite the immense challenges she faced in starting a new life in Jordan.

That experience stayed with him. “Photography is more than just a hobby,” Bahaa says. “It’s a powerful way of storytelling, to show how people are living, what they’re doing. Like this community, the Amala community”.