Al-Qalam 
Now Amir Abouelrous is on a mission to complete his PhD and become a motivational speaker. Nabeelah Shaikh spoke to him about his success against the odds.
When Egyptian national, Amir Abouelrous, travelled to South Africa, passionate to further his education, being sent to prison was not part of the plan. But Abouelrous found himself in unexpected situations. Today, after dealing with the harsh realities that came with fulfilling his dreams, he has used his experiences to become a motivational speaker. Abouelrous, who has since returned to Egypt, hopes to inspire students to never give up on their dreams no matter what their circumstances may be.
In 2011, he graduated with his BSc degree in Geophysics from Ain Shams University in Cairo.
“After graduating I realised that my true passion was not geology. My true passion was physics, so I wanted to become a physicist, always wanting to understand how the universe works.I started applying for many scholarships but nothing worked out for me. I decided the only way to do this was to travel overseas and look for opportunities. I decided to travel to South Africa in search of opportunities,” said Abouelrous
He found himself in Cape Town, where his journey began back in 2014.
“When I left home, I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know if I was going to see my family again, I didn’t know if I was going to make it. I didn’t even have enough money. All I had was a goal and a deep desire to learn, which really kept me going. I looked for work and started doing odd jobs just to survive. After some time, my tourist visa expired, and I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t get work, I couldn’t enrol in university,” said Abouelrous.
So, during this time, he took it upon himself to study physics on his own, without going to university, until he was able to.
“Then, in January 2014, I got tired of the way I was living. I was struggling, I didn’t have any money. I went to the immigration office in Cape Town, hoping they can help me renew my visa. Unfortunately, instead of being helped, I was arrested for being in the country illegally and sent to the police station cells for four days, then I was sent to Pollsmoor Prison. I cannot explain the feeling. It was horrible. It was the most terrible thing that had happened to me,” said Abouelrous.
Despite this, he decided to hold onto his dreams.
“I was going to be deported four months later after my prison sentence. Fortunately, with the help of a lawyer and a few friends, I was released. I decided to travel to Johannesburg to pursue my studies and find opportunities there. When I first arrived in Joburg, I didn’t know anyone. I started making friends and I was able to find a job. It wasn’t a good job, but I had something to keep me going,” said Abouelrous. In October 2014, he was able to obtain refugee status that allowed him to stay in SA for four years.
A friend then told him to go to Wits University to seek opportunities there.
“I went to Wits and applied to study towards my postgraduate degree in physics. I had no idea how I was going to do it, but Wits just felt like the right place for me to be. I went to the physics department, and I spoke to the coordinator. They were very kind; they listened to me and were interested in helping me out. They said they would give me a chance to study my postgrad there, but I just needed to get all my documents in order. I got my documents, and I was accepted there,” said Abouelrous.
Struggle
He had no money and struggled to pay his registration fees.
“Some of my friends and family helped me out. I was admitted for my honour’s degree in physics. I was overwhelmed with joy. I was excited because it was the best thing that happened in my life. I was also stressed because I couldn’t afford to fail. I had to remain focused. I put all my effort into studying,” said Abouelrous.
Finally, he graduated with his honour’s degree in physics, in 2017.
“I cried when I held my degree in my hand for the first time, thinking about what I had been through, to reach that point,” said Abouelrous.
He hopes his story will inspire other students to never give up on their dreams.
“Never give up on your passion and your goals, even if it takes you years to achieve what you want. You will eventually get there. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I am now on a mission to complete my PhD, and to be a motivational speaker. I would like to do research in the field of physics. I may not be where I want yet, but with perseverance, a dream and passion, I was able to achieve a lot in my academic journey,” said Abouelrous.
