A new language leads to new life for refugee Najib
A young man who fled Afghanistan at 15 receives an award tomorrow for turning his life around through education.
NAJIB Rasooli fled Afghanistan within months of the first US air strikes and, at 15, found himself in the UK with no family, no friends and no English.
Eight years on, he has made a new life in Sheffield, mastered the language, earned a place at university and even makes time to volunteer as a Red Cross fundraiser.
Najib's tenacity and commitment will be recognised tomorrow when he receives a national award in recognition of his achievements.
Now 23, he is winner of the Right to a Voice Award, presented as part of Adult Learners' Week.
The accolade is a testimony to the challenges he has overcome.
The first was a difficult and dangerous six-month journey to reach the UK. He faced further insecurity when his companions were sent to Manchester and he was allocated Sheffield. But the biggest problem was language.
"I struggled with language and I realised that having a life with no education was not what I wanted," says Najib, who is fluent in Uzbek, Dari and Farsi.
"I enrolled for English classes because it took my mind off my problems and, I found, gave me fun and enjoyment."
It was no easy option.
"It was a challenge to educate myself – having all these problems and being in a strange country, where you don't belong.
"At times it was really difficult to remain motivated when my problems threatened to overwhelm me, but I knew that education was a way to survive."
Once he had mastered basic English, Najib signed up for other courses at Sheffield College. He also became a Red Cross volunteer, organising fundraising events and helping with street collections.
"I had nothing to do over the summer and it helped me to improve my language," he says.
By 2007 he had achieved GCSE maths, a foundation business qualification and a BTEC – and was surprised at his own success. "At that stage I was shocked to have overcome all of this and reached this level."
But he had set his sights on university, which meant he needed a good GCSE pass in English. So the next step was a specialist course that helped to boost his grade.
Najib, who lives at Brook Hill, is now studying for a BA in business and financial management at Hallam University and looking forward to a promising career.
"I wouldn't ever have gone to university if I'd stayed in Afghanistan – especially under the Taliban regime.
"As soon as you know your left hand and right hand, you see war. From the age of two I've seen fighting. You get used to it, but it's depressing – and horrifying.
"I made a good choice coming to Sheffield. This is home now, I've made lots of friends from different nationalities and I really am happy here."
Najib received a regional Adult Learner's award yesterday at Sheffield University; he will be presented with the national award during a ceremony in Westminster, London, tomorrow.
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Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
