Beenish Shaikh

When I came to London, I was overwhelmed, confused, and scared. Coming from India, one of my biggest challenges was getting settled into a new education system. As an international student, my other challenges included making friends, getting adjusted to the new environment, balancing my studies and social life, and finding good work experience.

Fast forward one year. Today I am working for a grassroots organization called Henna Asian Women's Group. I work as a Support Officer on HELP Project which works for the rights of Asian women who have been victims of crime and abuse. Three months ago, I was promoted to Project Management and Volunteer coordinator role. My dissertation on "How the implementation of the burqa ban in Denmark affected the everyday lived experiences of Danish Muslim women" is in the process of being published by an organization in Denmark. I am starting a recruitment advocacy network for Muslim women in the UK focusing on those who come from underrepresented, vulnerable and marginalized backgrounds. One of the biggest achievement for me was getting a grant of £13,500 from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation under "Ideas and Innovation Grant".

I wanted to do this MA because of my interest in the human rights sector. For someone who started with little background knowledge in the field of human rights, my overall experience with this course was positive and uplifting. My placement during the course further helped me in my career. Studying at Goldsmiths was more than getting a Masters for me – it was also about building lifelong friendships, the growth that I have experienced not only professionally but also personally, and the faculty members who not only assisted me academically but are now my mentors and friends for life.