Grantee Stories

Mr. A worked as a lecturer at the University of Kinshasa, DR Congo for six years. Whilst undertaking a Fellowship at Cambridge University in 2003, he was forced to seek asylum in the UK. CARA has supported Mr. A to retrain as a barrister in the UK via a part-time Diploma in Law at City University and his Bar Vocational Course (BVC) at the Inns of Court School of Law. He was called to the English Bar in October 2007, and is now applying for a pupillage with chambers specialising in civil and common law.

Mr. B worked as a lecturer and research assistant in Microbiology in Zimbabwe, before he had to leave with his family because of death threats. His diploma in Adult Education was not fully recognized in the UK and he decided to re-qualify to teach at secondary school level. CARA awarded him with a grant to study a part-time PGCE which he combined with part-time teaching. The grant covered his tuition fees, travel, IT equipment, books and childcare. In Mr. B’s own words, he feels that "CARA’s help has changed my life".

Mr. E worked as a Research Associate at one of Moscow's Scientific Research Institutes and worked with Medicines sans Frontières providing medical help for displaced people. He finally had to leave his home country after being targeted by Russian troops. After Mr. E arrived in the UK, CARA helped him to re-qualify as a doctor, through a grant to cover his IELTS and PLAB exams and the costs associated with a three-month clinical attachment. Mr. E is now working as a doctor in a UK hospital.

Ms. H worked as an Assistant Lecturer in the University of Technology, Baghdad. She had to flee Iraq with her family when her husband came under scrutiny by the previous regime. In the UK CARA funded Ms. H's tuition fees, childcare and other related costs to complete a PhD in Soil Mechanics at University College London (UCL). In recognition of her academic potential, Ms. H has now been offered a fully funded post-doctoral position with Imperial College, a significant step towards re-establishing an academic career in the UK.