# The Power of Not Having the Privilege to Give Up | Amjad Oudeh | TEDxBerlin Salon

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAMA56hdDo
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/MaAMA56hdDo
Generated: 2026-02-06T17:44:25.754+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Amjad Oudeh shares his personal story of overcoming the lack of opportunity as a stateless Palestinian refugee by embracing continuous learning and mentorship, ultimately leading him to a successful career in tech in Germany, emphasizing that the drive to succeed is more important than having a perfect plan.

**Key Points:**
- Amjad Oudeh was born in Damascus, Syria, and grew up stateless as a third-generation Palestinian.
- In 2012, he made the difficult decision to leave Syria, eventually moving to Berlin in 2015 with no concrete plan.
- He worked odd jobs like in restaurants and cafes while learning German and teaching himself coding in his free time.
- His manager at a company noticed his passion and offered him a job as a QA engineer, which transitioned into iOS development.
- He strongly believes that one does not need a perfect plan or qualifications to pursue opportunities, citing his own journey as proof.
- The speaker credits his mother's guiding principle—that they do not have the privilege to give up—for motivating him through tough times.

![Screenshot at 00:01: The opening visual depicts a robotic hand reaching up toward a human hand over a green, circuit-board-like background, symbolizing the intersection of technology and humanity, setting the stage for a discussion on the future of tech education.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/MaAMA56hdDo/00-00-01.jpg)

**Context:** Amjad Oudeh delivers a personal narrative at a TEDxBerlin Salon event titled "Future of Tech Education." His talk centers on his journey from being a stateless Palestinian refugee, forced to leave Syria in 2012, to finding success as a tech professional in Germany. He highlights the importance of perseverance, continuous self-learning, and accepting opportunities even when feeling unqualified, driven by a core belief inherited from his mother that giving up is not an option for those facing hardship.

## Detailed Analysis

Amjad Oudeh recounts his challenging path, starting from being a stateless, third-generation Palestinian born in Damascus, Syria. Following the outbreak of the Syrian conflict, he made the difficult choice to leave in 2012, eventually landing in Berlin in 2015 without a clear plan. During this period, he worked menial jobs in restaurants and cafes while dedicating his free time to teaching himself programming and improving his German. He learned a critical principle from his mother: that those without privilege cannot afford to give up. Despite feeling unqualified and lacking a perfect plan, he accepted an unexpected opportunity offered by his manager to work as a QA engineer, which later evolved into an iOS development role. He attributes his success not to luck or qualifications, but to taking the next small step and executing on opportunities, even when they felt daunting, like transitioning from web development to iOS and later to QA roles. The speaker emphasizes that the next chapter in life does not arrive on autopilot; it requires proactive effort and learning, concluding that his mother's mantra guided him through every difficult moment.

### Personal Background

- Born in Damascus, stateless Palestinian refugee
- Left Syria in 2012, arrived in Berlin in 2015 with no plan
- Worked in restaurants/cafes while learning German and coding.

### Career Transition

- Initially worked in web development, but found it boring; decided to pursue programming
- Took an opportunity as a QA engineer, then moved to iOS development and finally became an iOS Release Manager.

### Guiding Principle

- Motivated by his mother's advice that they do not have the privilege to give up
- Believes success comes from taking the next step and executing on opportunities, not waiting for perfection.

### Conclusion

- The next chapter requires effort and action; he is grateful for the people who helped him and the opportunities he took, even when he felt unqualified.

![Screenshot at 00:01: The opening visual depicts a robotic hand reaching up toward a human hand over a green, circuit-board-like background, symbolizing the intersection of technology and humanity, setting the stage for a discussion on the future of tech education.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/MaAMA56hdDo/00-00-01.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:06: Amjad Oudeh is introduced on stage at TEDxBerlin Salon with the title slide visible: "FUTURE OF TECH EDUCATION."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/MaAMA56hdDo/00-00-06.jpg)
![Screenshot at 01:55: The speaker is shown mid-sentence, emphasizing the difficulty of obtaining a visa to Germany, noting that getting a visa was nearly impossible for him.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/MaAMA56hdDo/00-01-55.jpg)
![Screenshot at 03:33: The speaker stands on the red circle, gesturing while discussing the need to continuously work on ideas and not rely on autopilot for life changes.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/MaAMA56hdDo/00-03-33.jpg)
![Screenshot at 08:56: The speaker smiles while confirming he said 'yes' to the opportunity despite feeling unqualified, reinforcing his theme of taking action.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/MaAMA56hdDo/00-08-56.jpg)