I came to the UK a few years ago as a refugee, but my son and I started receiving death threats so we had to leave our home for safety reasons. We’re now in temporary accommodation in a new area, things are better and I feel safer, but the stress is still there. Before we moved I had to leave my job due to health issues, but really want to find a new one now so I can feel more settled and have a source of income.
I like interacting with people, so a job in an office would be great for me especially as I have some health problems which makes manual work difficult. I tried a nursing course in my home country but realised healthcare is not for me – too gory! So instead I studied social work and would like to help women and children.
I have a social work qualification from my home country but am unable to access it, so I want to go to university here to become a social worker. I like to help people, to have a mental and emotional connection with them. I want to help to fight discrimination as I had a hard situation myself, and want to help other women in need. Being a refugee and having left my home country, I saw women similar to me who are in a bad situation with their husbands but cannot do anything about it because of their culture.
I don't like sitting at home and want to be more social as it would help me to improve my English. A lot of office jobs need me to take a course to show I have a good level of English which I can't afford to do by myself. Life can be stressful but swimming helps me to clear my head, so I enjoy going to the gym and also listening to music to help me relax, as well as spending time outdoors with my son.
Knowing that people want to help me makes me feel so happy! It's really kind, can you imagine – they don't know me but they help – it's really nice. In my country when we help people, we help the community or the close family, but this kind of thing where you help strangers does not exist – it's amazing.