Education student inspires the SU Winter appeal

Education MA student Nadia Pashkevich received a donation plea from Samara’s Aid Appeal and felt compelled to get the University of Brighton Students’ Union (SU) on board.

Samara’s Aid Appeal is a Brighton-based organisation that sends humanitarian and medical aid to Syria, Iraq and the Middle East. Nadia received an email from them saying they were desperate for clothing supplies for refugees living in the coldest refugee camps in Syria and Iraq and her first thought was how she could help.

Nadia contacted the SU and the Brighton SU Winter Aid Appeal was launched!

The SU partnered with the charity and set up collection points at its reception areas on all of the University of Brighton campuses.

Staff and students were asked to bring in any warm clothing they could spare and also to donate time to help fold and pack the items ready for transportation. The SU also acted as a collection point for others who were looking to donate to the charity.

In less than two weeks clothes, bedding and towels filled up 42 boxes and over 50 sacks – the haul also included crutches and Moses baskets. The items were transported to the main warehouse where they joined the rest of the donations ready to travel to the Middle East.

Nadia said: “I got involved because I have been heartbroken watching the news about refugees.

“I would like to thank everyone who volunteered so much time and effort to the appeal. Whether it be driving around collecting boxes, renting vans, fundraising or spending hours sorting clothes, I cannot thank everyone enough.

“And a special thanks to the Students’ Union for organising the different collection points and enabling the whole appeal to happen.”

Taking part in the appeal has also provided inspirations for Nadia’s masters’ thesis. She is carrying out research with children in UK schools who have moved here from areas of conflict about their initial experiences of the UK education system. She hopes the research will not only inform her own classroom teaching but will also help schools be prepared to help children settle more easily.