Abubakar arrived in Sarajevo in 2023 to pursue a master’s degree in political science at the International University of Sarajevo. He was part of a group of students from Southern Philippines who were offered a golden opportunity to study abroad. It was a hard-won chance of a lifetime for a young man whose life never followed an easy path. He lost his father when he was just 13 and took on the daunting responsibility of looking after his large family (16 members in total) from an early age. While studying abroad, he continued to support them, and through hard work and dedication passed all his exams.
“Since primary school, I have worked and studied, not because anyone pushed me into it, but because I believed it was the only way,” he said. For young people in his hometown of Cotabato, education is not only a personal goal, but a form of resistance against marginalization.
In the past, his hometown has seen instability and poverty, which have left generations behind, so education is Abubakar way of giving back to society. He dreams of being part of the solution, of helping unify communities too often divided, and of building the kind of leadership he felt was lacking while growing up. Despite receiving a scholarship to Sarajevo, the programme did not include a living stipend. To stay afloat, Abubakar juggled part-time jobs and short-term projects, while preparing lectures and navigating daily life in an unfamiliar country. Then, in September 2024, everything changed. The organization funding his stay withdrew its support just one month before his residence permit was due to expire.
Without sufficient funds, he was determined to complete his remaining exams and his master’s thesis within two months before returning home. “I didn’t want to go back unless my thesis was completed,” he said. “I wanted to return having accomplished what I came for.” But legal and administrative hurdles caught up with him, and despite his efforts to regularize his status, he eventually found himself without legal documentation. He remained focused, still trying to complete his studies, refusing to give up on his dreams and aspirations. “It was never my plan to be in an irregular situation, but that is what life threw at me,” Abubakar explained.