Tia El Chami on Work, War, and the Pursuit of Stability

In Beirut today, Tia El Chami balances two demanding roles. By day, she works full-time at an education-focused NGO, handling everything from content creation to strategy, and by night, she takes on consulting projects with another organisation. Her work keeps her grounded, even as Lebanon faces uncertainty and conflict.

Tia’s path has never been straightforward, but it has always been defined by resilience and openness to change. A few years ago, she was an undergraduate at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, where she pursued International Relations with a focus on Spanish. The move had not been part of a carefully laid plan. It was the product of circumstance, chance, and a willingness to start over when the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Tia, the years in Malaysia became an unlikely but pivotal chapter, one that shaped her tenacity, broadened her worldview, and prepared her for the challenges she would later face back home.

From Business in Beirut to a New Start in Malaysia

When Tia landed in Malaysia in early 2020, she imagined a gap year filled with travel and discovery. She had just left a business programme in Lebanon that never felt like the right fit, so she followed her father to Kuala Lumpur, hoping to take time off before choosing her next step. But only two weeks later, COVID-19 shut the world down.

With her plans disrupted, she began searching for opportunities that might keep her moving forward. The University of Nottingham Malaysia stood out partly because of its reputation, but more importantly, it offered International Relations, a course that directly spoke to her interests.

Growing up, Tia spent seven years in the Model United Nations, developing a love for history, politics, and debate. Business had once seemed like the safer route, but it had left her unfulfilled. “I wanted to chase my passion,” she explained. International Relations felt like a chance to return to what she had always cared about most.

Nottingham also allowed her to study Spanish, which added a fresh dimension to her academic life. It was a combination she could not have found easily elsewhere, and though her path to Malaysia was unplanned, it quickly became the anchor for her new direction.

Adapting to Life at Nottingham

Her first two years unfolded online, caught in the long shadow of lockdowns. Lectures were streamed across borders, and for extended periods, she alternated between Lebanon and Malaysia. Spanish classes often began at three in the morning when she was back home. 

By her third year, when campus reopened, the experience transformed. She quickly blended into the community. “Everyone was really nice and welcoming, and because we were all in the same boat, we just became fast friends,” she said.

In class, the professors kept discussions active and accessible. What stood out most was Spanish, which provided her with the kind of challenge and creativity she sought in her learning.

Beyond coursework, she seized opportunities that might have been unavailable to her back in Lebanon. During her second year, she joined a faculty-led research project with the International Labour Organisation, an experience that broadened her view of how international cooperation worked in practice. Socially, the diversity of Nottingham’s student body reshaped her day-to-day life. She connected with peers from Yemen, Syria, Jordan, and across Africa, each bringing new perspectives.

Although she was the only Lebanese student on campus, she never saw it as a disadvantage. “For me, that was good. I didn’t really mind,” she said. Instead, it became another way to test her independence: to step into unfamiliar territory..

Returning Home: Starting Over in Lebanon

After graduating in 2023, Tia hoped to stay in Malaysia, but visa restrictions closed that door. “It was hard,” she admitted. “I was looking for jobs, but it just wasn’t working out.” By August, she had returned to Lebanon, carrying both the confidence of her degree and the uncertainty of what came next.

Her first step was an internship with Acted, a French NGO. There, she assisted in communications and project management, writing updates for donor reports, coordinating between teams, and gaining an inside view of how humanitarian programmes are managed. The experience showed her the fast pace of NGO work and how critical clear communication can be in times of need.

A few months later, she joined the Asfari Institute at the American University of Beirut, one of the region’s most prominent institutions. She split her time between social media and research communications, working on projects that combined her interest in policy with her skills in outreach and engagement. Though it was a demanding environment, she credits it with sharpening her adaptability and resilience. Each role, even in its challenges, gave her insight into how organisations function and how she could grow within them.

By the end of 2024, Tia found herself better prepared to step into her next opportunity with greater clarity about the kind of impact she wanted to make.

On the Ground: Working Through Conflict

Today, Tia works with Nafda, an NGO that uses education to create social change across Lebanon. As the sole communications and marketing lead, she wears many hats: photographing programmes, writing newsletters, developing content strategies, and managing social media. Her work takes her into schools across the country, from coastal cities to mountain villages. “Being able to go to different areas all over the country has been amazing,” she said. “I’ve learned so much and been exposed to people I don’t think I would have met otherwise.”

She also consults part-time with another NGO, Arcenciel, supporting their communications strategy. Balancing both roles has strengthened her sense of purpose, giving her a front-row view of how education can build bridges in a country often divided by history and religion.

That sense of division is never far away. In 2024 and 2025, Lebanon once again fell into conflict. Living just outside Beirut, Tia recalls the intensity of those months. “The bombs were so loud, I thought they were hitting the building next to us,” she said. “The whole building was moving.” Yet, when the ceasefire came, she was struck by how quickly people resumed their daily lives.

For her, work became a way to process the uncertainty. Documenting programmes and telling stories of students gave her a reason to keep moving forward. “It’s what keeps me going, I know that my work is contributing to something bigger than myself.”

Looking Ahead: Dreams of Stability and Growth

Even in the midst of uncertainty, Tia continues to plan for the future. She has already been accepted into master’s programmes at the London School of Economics and the University of Glasgow, but funding has so far kept her from attending. “Even though I couldn’t go, it was a dream come true in some way.” She is now applying for scholarships in Europe, including a programme in Belgium, while also considering the Gulf as a practical alternative if studying abroad does not work out.

Career-wise, she remains open. Marketing has become a field she enjoys, particularly the creativity and problem-solving it allows. At the same time, she is curious about project management and consulting, fields that align with her skills and could widen her impact.

Her personal dream is simpler but no less meaningful: stability. “Growing up, money wasn’t always stable,” she reflected. “Now, through my work, I’ve been able to travel, support myself, and plan for things like buying a car. That independence has been huge for me.” The passing of her father deepened that responsibility, pushing her to step up in ways she never expected.

For Tia, the pursuit of stability is about building a foundation strong enough to carry her forward into further study, into new roles, and into the life of independence she has long worked toward.