TikTok Spotlight: MENA Content Creator's Talent on the Rise, Wajih Alkhiami’s Story

Disclaimer: The content creator mentioned in this blog was selected to highlight the article's theme. There are no financial benefits resulting from this act of participation.

Meet Wajih, a talented Syrian refugee TikTok content creator living in Germany. Despite facing numerous challenges as a newcomer to the country, Wajih has found a way to showcase his technical skills and share his knowledge with others through TikTok. With a passion for technology and education, Wajih has created TikTok videos focused on technical educational content. In this blog post, I enjoyed interviewing Wajih Alkhiami and delving into his story, how he got started on TikTok, and how he uses the platform to educate and inspire others.

Salam Alaykum, I am Wajih Alkhiami, a 34 yo Syrian refugee in Germany. I received vocational education, majoring in computer engineering. I went for a university education to complete my undergraduate in a virtual university due to the war in my country, but I could not finish it back then.

I worked in many companies, including NCR, a global finance company, when it was operating in my country Syria before it shut down for political and war concerns.

My refugee journey began when I moved to Turkey and tried to work in the same company, but I was faced with racist judgment since I was a refugee from Syria. I lost hope in Turkey, yet I used to do farming jobs during the day and teach computers at night. In the end, I worked in a mobile shop as a software developer then I moved with my wife to Germany because of the difficult situation in Turkey.

In Germany, while studying the language, I trained in computer companies on GPS installations, web development, and computer sales. While studying and working, I received a work offer in Germany related to repairing ATMs with NCR and other companies. This is, in brief, what I call "A Refugee Mode of Survival."

I share educational and technical content on computers, mobile apps, and website development for a general audience to educate everyone. Many criticized me for sharing expert knowledge for free, but I always wanted to educate others on topics I love and matter to their lives. With the hard work, I exerted, I am now a verified TikTok Content Creator with 1+ Million followers.

I have been active on social media for ten years sharing popular proverbs from Syria and the region, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, then moved to TikTok with the same content. I started to change my content scope to share videos related to my domain and began the journey that way.

Sometimes I face a problem; I learn on google, and I need to teach others who face the same problem. This has always been my inspirational trigger. I also identify challenges at work and create videos to solve the issues. I get inspired by others who create similar content and add my touch to the videos.

In the beginning, I did not expect myself to reach this stage. Lhmdlla, at work, started to ask me for marketing and ads, and many colleagues and companies began to reach out to me in seeking my authentic way to educate the general audience. Later people started to greet me while walking around, so I became more popular step by step.

Identify your focus and purpose. Although I started with a completely different purpose, I evaluated my strengths and started from there. I advise them to answer the why? What? If you're good with computers, go for computer content. Go for what you love and be good at it when you educate others. Do not be an all types of content.

Many people in my niche depend on videos and visual effects, but I am more spontaneous since I often get inspired at work. I cannot always carry the equipment with me. I improvise the ideas even before sleeping. I just make myself ready and record the idea without waiting to video edit and make it the perfect video. In less than two years, I gained 1 million followers, and I am one of the first Syrian educational TikTok content creators who got verified.

Create content with purpose and added value. Many reach me to brainstorm with them how to create similar educational content. I used to guide them on many top tricks and tips and to stay aware of the range. I helped them to focus on their value and purpose. In past years the Arabic content was less robust than now; it was mainly English. Now Arabic content is emerging with ideas and focusing on more than just marketing and profits. People think of the internet as a way to gain money more than create educational content; I step there to help them create an educational content mindset before thinking of money.

Ultimately, the world of education is evolving, and young content creators have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through social media platforms like TikTok. By creating educational content, these creators can help to inspire and educate the new generation of learners in the MENA region and beyond. With the potential to reach millions of viewers, TikTok provides an accessible and engaging platform for sharing knowledge and ideas. By leveraging this platform and creating informative and entertaining content, young content creators can make a real difference in the lives of their viewers. If you're a young content creator in the MENA region, I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and start creating educational content on TikTok today!