Shirat: mentoring, community and friendship makes everything possible

My name is Shirat, and I want to tell you that no matter what life throws at you, you can overcome it. I lost my father during lockdown and faced many struggles, which led me to drop out of school. I was very down. But with Awamu’s support, I found friends, built a strong community, and completed my A-Levels.

The most important part of their programme for me was the mentoring. Having someone to talk to, share my thoughts and feelings with made a big difference. They encouraged me when I doubted myself. Second was health – the nurse was open and friendly, making us feel cared for and supported. And third, the support to stay in school – Awamu helped me stayed focused and on track.

One of the biggest changes came from the one-on-one tutoring during the Catch-up programme. It helped me understand my lessons and succeed. I passed my exams, focused on sciences and me, I even became a prefect at school.

As a prefect, I supported many girls who came from backgrounds just like mine – girls dealing with financial struggles, domestic violence and other challenges. I understood their pressures because I had faced them too, and because of the counselling and mentoring I had received myself, I was able to help them through their tough times . It was my turn to help create a positive learning environment and give back, just like the one I was given.

The friendships I formed with the girls in the programme were so important. We support each other, share our challenges, and celebrated each other’s success. It makes me feel good to be part of this community of friendship.

My dream is to study medicine and surgery. Right now, I don’t have the money for joining university. I know it won’t be easy, but I now believe I can get there.