AfC Celebration of Achievement Awards
"Don't let the world tell you that being in care is an obstacle. Being in care is an asset." — closing words at the AfC Celebration of Achievement Awards 2025.
"Don't let the world tell you that being in care is an obstacle. Being in care is an asset. I am who I am because I've been in care. And I love everything about it."
These were my last few words — inspired by Dave's Three Rivers — as I closed my speech at the Achieving for Children Celebration of Achievement Awards 2025.
Speaking in front of an audience of over 200 people, it was refreshing to be able to share, in part, some of my journey thus far, and some of my own achievements — such as being fortunate enough to be awarded one of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarships, and the Aya Scholarship facilitated by King's College London and funded by the British Transport Police to study Law.
As an aspiring politician, this was also invaluable experience: being comfortable speaking in front of a relatively larger audience. I will no doubt be doing a lot more of this.
It was also a pleasure to be there with my first mentee, Yusuf N., whom I have had the pleasure of helping turn his life around, much like my own. Yusuf has just begun studying Sociology, Economics and Philosophy and is searching for work experience — formal or informal — to help build his career.
Tomorrow's Changed Society is forever looking for like-minded and passionate people who are eager to reshape society for tomorrow.
Our ethos recognises how it is nearly impossible to change a mindset that we have already allowed to fester in society — we can only hope to shape a better one for tomorrow.
We build from the ground up.
Be a part of the solution, or complicit in the problem.