Helen, a young woman from Iran, has overcome financial barriers and isolation to pursue her aspirations of becoming a physician.
Being a refugee carries an emotional weight that’s hard to express—the heartache of leaving behind my home and everything familiar.
Helen is a 23-year-old young woman, who came to the UK in 2023. Due to religious persecution, Helen fled Iran and was forced to leave her friends and family in search of safety. When she arrived in the UK, she had to adapt to a completely new culture, attempt to overcome language barriers and manage the financial stress of pursing her education. The uncertainty of building a new life in a foreign place, coupled with the emotional burden of her past, has been overwhelming.
Although her parents were with her, she was far from her friends and extended family and missed their closeness and support. After attempting to resettle and improve her English skills, she was enrolled in an Access to Higher Education Medicine course in Eastbourne, where she was based. After she was finally enrolled in the course and took up her place, she was suddenly required by the Home Office to relocate to London. This meant that she would have had to give up the course, as she couldn’t afford the regular commute from London to Eastbourne to attend her classes.
She refused to let the challenges defeat her. In desperate need of some funding and support, Helen found Hope for the Young’s grants programme, and applied for an educational grant for travel costs, to enable her to fund the commute, attend classes and ultimately remain on the course.
Receiving the grant became a beacon of hope in my life. I felt extraordinarily blessed and thankful. It motivated me to work even harder, knowing that one day, I will be able to give back and support vulnerable people who are in the same position I was—people who just need a little hope to continue.
Helen was able to continue her course and worked incredibly hard, and has now relocated to Plymouth, where she has been accepted onto a course to study Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS) in Medicine at the University of Plymouth. The grant enabled her to continue her education, maintain friendships, and it gave her the motivation to overcome the challenges that she faced.
Alongside the financial support that Helen received, she also works closely with our Grants and Advocacy Manager, who provides her with one-to-one support, both academic and holistic. Through this advocacy support, Helen has been matched with other medical students in receipt of a grant who offered further guidance and mentorship.
When people support Hope for the Young, they are not just helping individuals through their educational journey—they are empowering those individuals to make a broader impact. The support extends beyond the person and can influence communities and even the world.
Additionally, Helen was awarded a new laptop through Hope for the Young’s partnership with Screen Share to support her studies, and also a bicycle through a partnership with The Bike Project, to help her travel around London. This encouragement and support gave her a renewed sense of purpose, and she now feels a strong sense of responsibility to pass this feeling of hope to others who may feel overlooked or powerless.
Helen’s goal is to become a physician, to be a source of compassion and support for vulnerable individuals who may be experiencing some of the darkest moments of their lives, alongside the medical care. Although she still faces financial challenges and adapting to the academic demands of university can be overwhelming at times, Helen believes that each of these challenges has strengthened her determination to succeed. With the support she received and the belief in her to overcome adversity, she is more focused than ever on excelling in her studies and achieving her goals.
Helen has worked incredibly hard to pursue her aspirations of becoming a physician. At Hope for the Young, we are continuously inspired by the young people we work alongside and are so excited to watch Helen flourish and create a new life for herself.
Hope for the Young gave me a renewed sense of hope during a time when I was struggling to see a path forward. They have not only enabled me to continue pursuing my aspirations but also inspired me with a deep commitment to give back.
At Hope or the Young, we rely on donations to provide the grants and tailored advocacy support that young people like Helen need to access university and continue their education.