diwc – Page 5

#WomenOfDundee: How joining the DIWC gave Dalia the opportunity to have a career in childcare

21 February 2017 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

This is Dalia’s story about how she moved from Iraq to Dundee, found support and friendship in the DIWC and opportunities which resulted in a career in childcare.

Studying to become an engineer

“I was born and brought up in Mosul, Iraq. I spent most of my life there, was educated and worked there.

When I was young I dreamed of becoming a doctor. When I got high scores in my final year of school, I joined the Engineering College and finished my degree in mechanical engineering in 2000.

Iraq is a lovely country, a beautiful place. It has a highly educated, hard-working society and good healthcare system. My University was coeducational. There were lots of girls in my class, and boys and girls study together, do labs together and graduate at the same time.

Getting married and moving to the UK

I got married when I was 23 years old, I met my husband in my city at a family gathering. He then asked for my hand from my parents. In 2009, I came to the UK, straight to Dundee, with my family. We moved here because my husband got a scholarship for his PhD Degree.

The UK is a different world, the people are really welcoming and from lots of different cultures. I was initially worried about how I would engage with the locals. The first year I found it really difficult to meet people, but the centre made it really easy for me.

Joining the DIWC and finding my feet

I didn’t know anyone in Dundee until my children started nursery and I met some people there. They told me about the Dundee International Women’s Centre where I could improve my English and join the NPA class. Since 2012, I have been working as a childcare support worker in the crèche and I had the opportunity to finish my SVQ 3 through the centre and I am now a childcare practitioner.

I enjoy working in the crèche and being part of DIWC. I miss home a lot, but through DIWC I have met lots of people, lots of friends and they have become like my family as well. The centre has given me support and confidence. You can speak to the staff or members when you are going through hard times.

I found all the love and support I need in the centre.

Looking to the future

I didn’t practice engineering because I am responsible for my three boys and my family. Also, I feel it would be too difficult to retrain in the UK while my children are still young. I decided to do something with children because I am a Mum I know lots of things about children and I like being with the children.

I miss engineering, maybe if I have more time or another opportunity to study Engineering over here I will. I miss my country too and all the people there. I would move back if it was safe, like before, but since the war began in 2003, it’s not safe anymore for my family.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to working towards my goals in my new career. I would like to find a full-time job working with children. I am also looking forward to giving my children everything they need, watching them grow and seeing what they will become in the future.”

Dalia #womenofdundee

#WomenOfDundee: How the DIWC helped me to make friends and get involved in the community

2 February 2017 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

This is S.K.’s story. Having moved to Dundee in the early 70s and unable to speak English, she settled into family life and not until later, as her children grew up, did she join the DIWC where she had the opportunity to make friends and get involved in the community.

Speaking English was a new experience for me

“I moved to Dundee in 1972, about 13 years after my marriage. I was somewhere around 17-19 years old when I got married – in those days no one really kept track of age. After my marriage, I lived with my Aunty and 2 children in India.

My husband came to the UK for work and after 4 years working there, he was then allowed to bring his family with him.

I couldn’t speak English when I came to Dundee. In India during that time, many girls were not in Education and I only studied until a certain age. My parents thought we just needed to know how to write letters as it wasn’t expected in those days that we would have to work.

When I moved to the UK, I did not make much effort to learn English. I didn’t need to work and spent most of my time at home so I did not feel the need to know how to speak English. However, over the years I realised that I wanted to go out of the house and speak to other people. I have since picked up many words by interacting with others. Even though I don’t speak the language fluently I can still understand when someone chats with me.

Missing India, but making a life for my family here in Dundee

There are many things that I miss about India. I miss my family there, but I guess many people would feel the same way? To me, home is where my children are and I have been blessed with a very happy life with my children. They are well settled here so I am happy to be here. After all, what would I do in India on my own?

I do go back to India often to visit my relatives. Sometimes I even go back twice a year so I don’t feel like I have much of an opportunity to miss them. There are many others who don’t get the chance to go back home and I can only imagine how hard it must be for them.

I have been coming to DIWC for around 5 years now. I like coming to the Bazorg group. I get the chance to meet everyone and have a good chat. It’s a nice atmosphere to be here and we are all happy. I enjoy being involved in the variety of activities provided for us from exercising to massaging and many more. It is a lot of fun”

S.K. #womenofdundee

#WomenOfDundee: DIWC helped build my confidence and gave me the opportunity to gain qualifications

1 November 2016 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Munaza shares her story about when she moved to Dundee from Pakistan, the difficulties she faced and how joining the DIWC helped her improve her English which helped to build confidence and led her to learn new skills – leading to a position on the Board of Directors!

Having a good education

I came from Pakistan to England to study where I lived with my brother and sister in law for 1 and a half years. I got married and moved to Dundee in 2014. I decided to study in the UK because my brother already lived in England and so I thought it would be best to be with my family.

Before I came to England I didn’t really know exactly what to expect. I only really thought that in the UK there is freedom, independence, and gender equality. Through my time in England, I found that it is largely what I expected.

Difficulties faced and how I overcame them

The hardest thing I found in living in the UK is being far from my family. I was apprehensive how the teachers at University would be and what the people would be like. It was scary at the start but with time I got more confident. Initially, I was a little worried about how I would adjust to living with my in-laws but I found that everyone was very co-operative and friendly. They even gave me lots of opportunities to go out to places and meet people. They introduced me to DIWC.

My childhood in Pakistan was amazing! Sometimes I wish I could relive my childhood. I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters. I’m a middle child but out of the sisters, I’m the youngest.

Learning to speak English and gaining confidence

I initially started coming to DIWC in 2014 but I regularly started coming to classes in 2015. I feel that DIWC has helped to develop my personality, built my confidence and gives opportunities to gain qualifications. When I first started at DIWC I was scared to talk to anyone because English is not my first language. Before when people said to me just speak in English my first thought was that I just can’t. But coming to DIWC has given me the confidence to talk to other people in English. I have recently joined the board of directors of DIWC. This feels a little scary but exciting as well. It’s a new opportunity for me to learn different skills.

My daughter is the most exciting thing in my life right now. I’ve always liked kids but being a mum, words just can’t describe the feeling it’s totally different and beautiful.’

Munaza #womenofdundee

#WomenOfDundee: Flourish taught me valuable life-saving skills I was able to put into practice

1 November 2016 by diwc-admin 2 Comments

Sarish Rizwan has been attending the Flourish program on and off for the past two years, she is from Pakistan and has two sons. She has given permission to speak about her personal story that has helped her save two peoples life since doing the First Aid course, which was organised by staff in the DIWC Flourish group.

Learning valuable life-saving skills to put into practice

The first time was when Sarish had gone to Pakistan to visit family there was an incident where her uncle started to have chest pains and breathing difficulty. Sarish said she immediately remembered what she had learned and how to recognise if someone was having symptoms of a heart attack. She called for an ambulance and put him in the recovery position. As her uncle’s condition worsened, she was able to carry out CPR which was vital, until the paramedics came, after which they took over. Thanks to her quick thinking and remembering the training she had received, her uncle is alive and so grateful to Sarish.

Another time was when Sarish was feeding her baby he choked on a pea and was having difficulty breathing. She performed the Heimlich manoeuvre and CPR, which saved her baby’s life.

Sarish says: “I am so grateful to DIWC and Flourish for delivering the First Aid workshop, without it, the outcome might have been very devastating. I am now able to perform emergency first aid until help arrives if needed, which makes me feel, that I have learnt a very valuable skill which could save lives. Thank you Flourish”

To find out more about the Flourish classes, click here.

#WomenOfDundee: Coming to the Bazorg group gives me a sense of purpose

17 October 2016 by diwc-admin 2 Comments

Aunty Krishna has been coming to the DIWC for a couple of years and the Bazorg group gives her a sense of purpose now that she has more time on her hands. Here she shares her story about how she came to live in Dundee and why she joined the group.

My husband and I moved around a lot before settling in Dundee

“I moved to Dundee around 50 years ago. I did not know how to speak English when I first came here. I only understood little bits here and there but not enough to understand a whole sentence. Now, although I can’t speak a lot of English I can understand and get by a lot more easily.

I married my husband when I was 25. When we were in India he worked on the railways. This often involved him moving to different stations wherever the work was and I moved with him. We lived in many different places. I remember even staying in the jungle for a while and taking my bedspread and sleeping by the railways whenever he had night duty. The conditions were not the best sometimes but that was our life back then.

I’ve seen dramatic changes in Dundee over the years

In my time in Dundee I have seen it change dramatically. It’s amazing to see the transformation of the city. In 1966 I remember the Queen Mother visited Dundee to open the new Road Bridge. Also, at that time Ninewells hospital was just being built and now the hospital looks very modern and different.

There was a time where shillings were used instead of the pounds and pence’s we have today. I remember when I migrated there was a corner shop near our house. My husband had told them that I did not understand how the British currency works and so I just handed the shopkeeper the money and he would give me the change.

I find I have more time now my husband passed away and my children have all grown up

My husband passed away 25 years ago. He was still quite young. He was a very kind and handsome man. Since he was the same height as me I remember him saying: “If you wear heels, you’ll be taller than me!” My children were still studying at that time and my eldest was a year away from graduating from his degree in medicine. My daughter had started working so she helped support the family.

My children have their lives here, we are well settled. I have 3 kids; 2 boys and a girl. My eldest son is a GP in Birmingham and has two daughters. My youngest son has a boy and a girl and I love them very much too. My husband did not have any siblings so we spent most of our time in India living by ourselves. Though I still go every year to visit my own brothers and sisters, my heart is here with my children.

I have been coming to the Bazorg class at DIWC for a couple of years. When I first started I didn’t know any of the ladies here but now they are my friends. The Bazorg group gives me the opportunity to socialise and gives a little change to my week. I enjoy chatting with the ladies and doing the different activities they have here. Coming here makes me feel good.”

Aunty Krishna Bazorg Group member. Translated from Punjabi.#WomenOfDundee