03/20/2019 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – Although the reconstruction of Mosul is slow, following its three-year occupation by the Islamic State (ISIS), the city’s bustling university provides hope for the future. Many of the students commute into the city and their presence symbolizes the possibility of a future for areas in the Nineveh Plains once devastated by ISIS.

So when Mina Ragheed, a blind Christian woman and recent graduate from Mosul University, was offered and later denied a government appointment as a teacher, Christians were outraged. Displacement had shattered the hopes of many Christians for a future. Mina not only had a bright future, but she also had successfully risen above the challenges of both her disability and displacement. Her academic success had surprised and inspired many.

“Mina over the years was clever, even during the displacement,” said the head of Mosul University. “I’ve noticed that Mina still has the same seriousness as she did four years ago, when I met her for the first time in Mosul.”

Mina’s dedication to her education was instilled within her at a young age through the involvement of family and friends. Her mother recalled, “We lived normally. I didn’t even consider she had a disability. I was always encouraging her and took care of her. I used to read while she listens. When she [entered] the 10^th stage, we started using cell phones to record the lectures. I used to make her review and refresh her memory whenever she had an examination.”

Her parents’ insistence on enforcing her studies encouraged Mina to exceed beyond their expectations. “My parents did not expect me to be in school like the others, because it is too hard for someone to study and graduate with these kind of circumstances,” she said. “But I joined school and graduated from primary and secondary school. I used to have a friend who gave me a copy of everything she writes at each class.” 

When Mina began attending the university, her aptitude quickly became apparent to all of the teachers. Although she was blind, she would see details that no other students would notice. It was no surprise to them that she would score the highest graduate marks in the university’s history. Mina, however, could not believe it. “When I got the marks, and the woman told me that I got the highest marks and I am the first, I couldn’t believe it, it was amazing! I remembered Mosul and my university there.”