A World Fit for my Daughter — Tamar’s Baggage to Oxford

We asked our scholars to go back to the moment they packed their luggage in preparation for their journey to Oxford. But instead of clothes and books, we asked them to think about the stories, people, memories, hopes, and all immaterial things that they would put inside. Find other stories in this series here.

I became a parent into my teenage years. It was event that might commonly be viewed as something that would hinder one’s educational and career development. Instead, it became my inspiration to push myself harder. I strive to set an example for my daughter that with perseverance and aspiration it is possible to define one’s own path to success. By accomplishing my dream to study at the world’s top university, I feel that I am helping to encourage not only my own daughter, but am on a path to promote better social change for other children and their families in my country.

While raising my daughter in a world dramatically different from the one I grew up in, I am trying to be a part of the cultural shift for young women to harness the power of their voices to speak out against abuse and live with dignity. I am striving to create prevention and protection means for those children who are neglected, exploited, unsafe or living in poverty; to build a happier, safer society in which they can look forward to their futures with more hope. Through policy work we can improve the lives of children. I am hoping to grasp evidence-based interventions to drive positive policy change in my country and region. Beyond broadening my academic perspective, I feel honoured to be a part of the dynamic global community and exceptional people of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme.