Graduation Tales | Refugee Ida flees persecution and achieves Masters
13 January, 2023
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When Ida Mirzaee fled her home country of Iran, she had to completely rebuild her life, without knowing anyone. This week, she will graduate from the University of South Wales (USW) with a Masters degree in Animation, thanks to a unique scholarship for people seeking asylum.
After arriving in Wales in January 2020 – just months before the Covid-19 pandemic struck – Ida found herself in a strange culture and faced the enormous task of starting again, despite knowing very little English. Being part of the asylum system meant that she had to survive on just £5 per day, and live with the uncertainty of what may come next.
Despite this, Ida attended ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) online classes delivered by Dr Mike Chick, USW’s Refugee Champion, which helped build her confidence and introduced her to new friends. She went on to receive a place on the USW Sanctuary Scholarship scheme, which enabled her to study her Masters degree.
Ida said: “Mike’s classes were such an important starting point for me, because his guidance and the information he provided helped me to access so much support, including the opportunity to study at USW thanks to the Sanctuary Scholarship. During the Covid-19 pandemic he really kept us going, giving us hope and ultimately allowing us to take that first step to changing our lives.
“I also received incredible support from Albany Road Baptist Church, who provided a home for me and took care of me throughout the trauma and mental health problems I faced at the time. They provided an environment for me to study and focus on my education.
“I think of my Church community and University community as family, as these people have played such a key role in my journey – good hearted, king people who took the time to help me regain hope for my future.”
After two long years of waiting for a Home Office decision on her claim for asylum, Ida was finally granted refugee status in 2022 – and is now well on the way to achieving her dream job in the Animation industry.
Watch a trailer for Final Step, Ida’s animated film based on her story:
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She added: “Being a person seeking sanctuary in Wales is life changing indeed – like you are standing next to a busy road. One way leads to a job that doesn’t need the skills or qualifications you may have. Doing these jobs, when you know you have more to offer, can lead to mental health problems as you feel undervalued and of little use to society.
“However, in the other direction, if you are lucky, you can use will use your skills and experience and develop a professional career and be useful for society. Fortunately, studying at USW meant I could follow this direction, which has affected my life now, and my future life chances, profoundly. There is now hope on this road, where before, there was none.
“To have achieved my Masters degree is just the best feeling. I hope I can inspire others to follow their dreams and study or work in their chosen field. I believe that education offers hope in the present and the promise of a fulfilling, rewarding life in the longer term.”
Dr Mike Chick added: “Ida is an exceptional individual who has overcome many hardships, obstacles and setbacks in her struggle to achieve a dignified, meaningful life free from persecution and threat. It is always remarkable to meet people such as Ida who face up to such adversity with a resilience and good-natured optimism that one can only admire.”