Is it Worth It? Yes, Even Through the Pain of Alienation

Yesterday, Saturday, September 14th, I held a session at University of Zurich for a group of students from Zurich and some from Kakuma camp, Kenya. My two sessions, lasting about two hours, were titled "Real World Challenges." As I prepared, I listed 26 challenges I’ve faced in my personal and business life in Switzerland and Germany as Entrepreneur. The goal was simple: after three days of lectures on social innovation, Ning Wang from UZH wanted me to share practical lessons about life and business, with the hope of leaving a lasting impact, particularly on the students in the camp.

During the Q&A, a student from Zurich asked me a question that hit hard: “Is it worth it?” I closed my eyes for a moment. It was the first time I’d truly asked myself this.

Yesterday, I woke up sick—feverish, with a high temperature . It was a Saturday, no doctors available, and to top it off, I worried about the unstable internet connection at home . But I knew I had a session to deliver. I convinced myself: it’s just two hours—who knows, maybe I can inspire or even change a life in Kakuma, where Sudanese refugees live. So, I gathered my strength and went to UZH.

On the way, my Uber driver, a Romanian, kindly offered to stop by a pharmacy. He chuckled, saying, “You’re the first Jordanian I’ve ever picked up in Zurich!” We laughed.

After my session, I took the train back, only a 17-minute ride, reflecting on that question: "Is it worth it?" Of the 26 challenges I shared, I realized nearly 50% are tied to alienation—the experience of living far from home, with no one to ask how you’re doing, or to care for you when you’re sick. Yet, I remain deeply grateful for the people who help me move forward, who support, connect, and assist me. And I pity those who could help but choose not to.

I remember traveling to Germany between 2007 and 2015, always calling my father after I stamped my passport in Amman airport. I'd tell him I was leaving, trying to avoid the drama of an Arab woman traveling alone. While I was away, I called him daily, assuring him I was working, not doing anything wrong. It’s a memory that still weighs on me. This didn’t stop until I was able to bring my father to Germany and Switzerland, and took him to all the places where I worked. For him, he could not imagine where I lived or what I did.

When I got home yesterday, exhausted, I slept immediately. I woke up and found clarity—yes, Fredrick, it is worth it. Yesterday, I gave a lecture at UZH. That, in itself, proves we are different.

I have hired more than 150 employees in my companies over the last 18 years. All of them are leading better lives because they were either inspired by me or gained significant experience by working under pressure with me. I have changed all my family members for the better. I have inspired and changed all my mentees in Amali and other programs. Even when I am suffering, I still make an impact.

I believe in God, and I am certain that CEDEM AG - Switzerland will become one of the most important brands in vitamins worldwide. With that success, I want to see my foundation, Amali, in every poor country in the world. I aspire to inspire because I know for a fact that dreams can become a reality.

As Nikos Kazantzakis wrote in Report to Greco: “As long as our souls remain strong, that is all that matters; as long as they don’t decline. Because with the fall of certain souls in this world, the world itself will collapse. These are the pillars that support it. They are few, but enough.”

?thanks Ning Wang University of Zurich , thanks FC Basel 1893 thanks Frankfurt School of Finance & Management thanks 瑞士洛桑国际管理发展学院 (IMD) - 商学院 .