My parents are Bajun. The Bajunis are a mix of many different people including Bantus, Persians, Arabs and Somalis.
When our community was pushed out of Somalia, my family resettled in Kenya. As we were classified as refugees, this gave my family the opportunity to move to the Netherlands, where one of my brothers was born. Sadly, my father didn’t join us on this journey.
Not long after this, we moved to Glasgow and, in time, we ended up in London in temporary accommodation. This gave me an insight into how difficult life is if you keep re-locating.
As a child, I attended so many different schools. Every time I started at a new school, I was so shy that I sat at the back of the class and just listened and observed all the others. Of course, later on I would open up, make friends and chat endlessly with them. I guess this taught me about different characteristics and not judging people or situations too quickly.
Sometimes, I have wished that I had more stability in my life. I’m not alone as it’s affected all members of my family in different ways. I’ve got three brothers and as the eldest there were times where I had to support my mum by translating letters, filling out forms, and taking important phone calls. I was stepping into my father’s role and I had a lot on my shoulders at a very young age. All these experiences made me quite confident; I felt like I could do anything.
My interest in childcare came from being the eldest child. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, but I’d want it to be with kids. I haven’t given up on that dream yet.
My family came to the UK for a better life. It’s taught me to take nothing for granted and to be happy for the freedom and opportunities I have in the UK.
I think LifeLine has been a great support. I love how they support young people with their lives and help people with their careers.