Written by: Angela Lee, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Nigerian international student community are to be celebrated in terms of the community support network that they offer each other, particularly students that are new to the United Kingdom.
I’ve been inspired as I observe Kesiena randomly approach students during her break, to its ever-growing ‘what’s up’ student community, that already has over 100 members.
“We initially started to support each other whilst we were in Nigeria by establishing a ‘what’s up group’ for students who were studying in the UK,’ says Kesiena Zieregbe, an international Psychology in Mental Health student at London Metropolitan University. However, we had to funnel the group down, specifically for London Met students, Kesiena continued.
Moving to the UK for the first time as a foreign student can be daunting culturally. Research suggests (Girmay Singh, 2019) that international students observe loneliness as a common experience in countries such as the USA and the UK, which in turn can impact on their wellbeing.
‘The group has been extremely beneficial for me, in terms of my application process, visa application, and other document gathering, says Juliet Nnadozie another London Met student.
In the USA, Nigerians are the most highly educated in all groups with 61% having at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 31% of the total foreign-born population and 54% are likely to occupy management positions, in comparison to 39% of US-born populations. Similarly, in the UK many highly educated diasporas work in financial service, IT, legal and medical professions. (The Financial Times)
Many of us in the West need to learn and embrace this amazing network of support that is totally inclusive, irrespective of what state students derive from!
“The group has provided me with a sense of family. Our community gave me a home in a land far away from home”, says Damilola Olasope, London Met Student Union President.
Angela Lee, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Angela Lee, is a leader in mindset shift coaching, CBT, mental health and personal development. A brain tumour developed after a series of traumatic events led Angela to develop strategies to manage mental health and wellness. She is in her final year of her MSc Psychology in Mental Health where she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome their mental health challenge. She is a professional certified life coach (ALTEC), public speaker and author. Angela also has a podcast on Spotify where she continues to support her clients, she is also an English Teacher and a Trainer.
