By Basma El-Doukhi, GCDC Doctoral Candidate, School of Social Policy, Sociology
As Maya Angelou said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour: and some style” and “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”.
I am Basma Taysir El Doukhi, a third generation of Palestinian Stateless refugees who was living in the Rashidah Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon and a UN humanitarian professional, who is looking forward to sharing my untold personal and professional story at the University of Kent, the UK wider community, and worldwide.
I hope to inspire young refugee and displaced generations, mainly women and girls in the Middle East, the UK and everywhere (where my voice can reach), to pursue higher education and follow their dreams. I hope they are able to see me, listen and watch my successes, challenges, contributions and achievements. It will not be an easy journey, but it will be worthy journey to live and leave a mark in the hearts, minds and souls of people.
I am delighted to join Kent and bring the voice of refugees to academia, creating a link between those in refugee camps, professionals in the field and the higher education sector. From working in conflict zones and having an active role in humanitarian action, I am well placed to engage those in academia who haven’t had direct experience in interacting with refugees and visiting refugee camps.
I am a role model for my community – especially women and girls who want to access education and build careers. I am eager to make a valuable contribution on behalf of refugees across the world as I personally understand their needs. This is only the beginning as the more refugees who become involved, the more we can change the narrative and take informed action. I hope that from publishing research based around migration we will develop more funding opportunities in the field for displaced people and organizations to take the lead on more localised humanitarian and development actions and social change.
My year at Kent so far has been a massive learning experience, a journey of self-discovery, self-exploration and sharing what I believe is important in my life including my vision for a better inclusive future where all enjoy our human rights and live in full sense of dignity, agency and self-worth.
Through this learning journey, I learned and built connections, networks, friendships that supported me to leave my comfort zone, expanded my critical analysis of things, and intrigued my curiosity to question things and go beyond what is expected.
One of the very special highlights of this year was supporting and dancing at Amal’s walk to show solidarity with displaced children in the UK and worldwide and send a message through academia that these displaced children are not alone and will not be alone. I used children’s told and untold stories, which I have kept deeply in my mind and heart during these years of work, to support them in conflict areas to shift the narratives and raise awareness not only about their plight but their resilience, agency, dignity and need of welcoming hands, hearts, minds and borders.
Seeing children, communities and academics engaging in the walk and following events was for me and for so many children a light in a dark world that lacks compassion, understanding and welcoming spirit. It was a signal in the path of social change and power of people to show and build solidarity and better future for everyone.
I was very proud and grateful to use my lived experience as a refugee child who lived in a refugee camp denied of my human basic rights and my professional experiences listening and supporting displaced children in conflict countries as a bridge that connects and brings people together for better understanding and supportive actions.
As Maya said” “I’ve learned that people will forget what you have said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made the feel”.
I say always when facing challenges, obstacles, and barriers, “Wherever you are stuck, you plug in and leave your mark”.
Basma El-Doukhi