Rashida fled Nigeria to escape danger and build a new life. Arriving in Cardiff felt like a million miles from home, yet Rashida was hopeful about the future. But life for a refugee is never easy and she struggled to get by. When she came to NZF, Rashida was homeless and living on a very small amount of money.
This is how your Zakat helped her on the way to a rewarding new career and the chance to take control of her life, as well as helping to fill an important gap in the NHS.
I arrived in Cardiff hoping for a safer, better life and I was determined not to give up on that dream. But with little money coming in and nowhere to live, that was easier said than done. But I kept trying. I volunteered at as many different places as I could, and even did some courses to help better my chances of getting a job, including a course in English as a second language (ESOL).
I can’t remember when I first heard about phlebotomy, but when I found out the NHS was desperate for people to train as phlebotomists (people trained to draw blood for clinical or medical testing, transfusions, donations, or research) I was very interested. Not only was this something I believed I could do, with the right training, but I’d be filling an important gap and helping people.
I started looking into the training, the only drawback was I couldn’t afford the course fee of £285. That’s when I found out about NZF. I applied for support and an NZF Grant Officer got in touch soon after. He looked at my case and I was delighted when he confirmed they were able to help. Your Zakat helped cover the cost of the course, but it’s done so much more than that.
I’m now living in YMCA accommodation and I’m well on my way to becoming a fully trained phlebotomist. In these trying times, when the NHS is under so much strain due to coronavirus, I’ll soon be able to do a job that could help thousands of people.
May Allah reward you all for giving your Zakat through NZF and giving me a chance I otherwise wouldn’t have had.
Based on a true story.
