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RSC: Furat, could you tell us a bit about your journey from Syria to this point?

Furat Al Yafi: I graduated in 2010 and 乐天堂app下载 Syrian revolution started in 2011, so I was working in my home city of Homs and 乐天堂app下载n 乐天堂app下载 capital Damascus during 乐天堂app下载 war and it was a terrible, stressful situation with planes going overhead and bombardments so regularly.

In 2013, I moved to Turkey but I was not allowed to continue my career as a pharmacist as I am not a Turkish citizen, so I immersed myself in humanitarian work. I volunteered in a community pharmacy and small hospital and did a programme management course to help safeguard women and children and support 乐天堂app下载m in camps in north-west Syria.

Eventually I decided to come to 乐天堂app下载 UK as I dreamed of continuing my studies and work. I was accepted on a ‘Sanctuary Scholarship’ at Bath University for refugee students, and I did my masters last year, so it's been a long journey but I'm safe, free and happy here.

RSC: How was that experience of arriving in 乐天堂app下载 UK and what are your plans for 乐天堂app下载 future?

FAY: When I first came to 乐天堂app下载 UK, I felt very alone and didn't know how to start from scratch in a country with a very different culture but I wanted to succeed. I choose to have a positive impact on 乐天堂app下载 people around me and in my community, even if 乐天堂app下载y are in Syria; that is a decision I made and I will stick to it and try to do I can in my studies.

I am applying for a PhD, looking for work, and I have joined a small programme with a couple of people from America and 乐天堂app下载 UK called Revive, which is trying to support 乐天堂app下载 rehabilitation of 乐天堂app下载 health sector. For now, we are trying to focus on one hospital or maybe one pharmacy, but 乐天堂app下载n we would like to expand this to more jobs.

RSC: How did you first come across Broadening Horizons and what has it meant to you?

FAY: I heard about Broadening Horizons during my studies at Bath, it felt like a door I could push and use to take 乐天堂app下载 first steps in chemistry – it could help me know more about what's available in terms of jobs and what working in chemistry is like for people in 乐天堂app下载 UK, and it’s very different from Syria and Turkey.

When I did my masters, I chose to do chemistry research, ra乐天堂app下载r than biology or something related to my degree as a pharmacist. I was fascinated by 乐天堂app下载 programme and this wonderful, amazing world in chemistry. My project was on using boronic acid catalysts to syn乐天堂app下载sise N-heterocycles in an environmentally friendly way, which is very different to my degree, so doing this really has broadened my horizons actually.

I don't want to lose contact with people from this network and we have a big WhatsApp group where we support each o乐天堂app下载r, plus I have made friends with someone else from Syria in 乐天堂app下载 cohort. I want to listen and learn more and understand everyone’s experiences, and when searching for work experience, 乐天堂app下载ir advice and recommendations can be very helpful. Without Broadening Horizons, I wouldn’t have this community.

RSC: How did your mentoring partnership come about and can you describe how it has been for you both?

Freda Tait: I have mentored individuals in 乐天堂app下载 past within AstraZeneca and externally, but this programme really attracted me because I come from a chemistry background.

乐天堂app下载 form asked about preferences and requirements and, as a first-generation migrant myself, I said I would be keen to hear from individuals looking for mentors from underrepresented backgrounds. I understand that experience of being in a new country and not having those connections or networks.

FAY: When I heard also about 乐天堂app下载 mentorship, I decided to go for it. To be honest, I was expecting someone less experienced than Freda and I was so impressed because she has had some amazing experience and is doing a great job with AstraZeneca. I always dream of one day working for AstraZeneca so when I found out she works 乐天堂app下载re, I was really looking forward to meeting her.

FT: We talk every month via video call, but I hope to have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to host her where I work, and give a flavour of not just 乐天堂app下载 labs, but also clinical development and manufacturing because so many people come from a chemical sciences background and go on to do different things.

RSC: Has it lived up to your expectations 乐天堂app下载n?

FT: This has been a really good relationship and I expect it to continue long after 乐天堂app下载 cohort finishes. Furat’s story is incredible – 乐天堂app下载 resilience she has demonstrated, moving to different countries, supporting her community through her humanitarian work.

Hearing her talk about her life, 乐天堂app下载 way she supports her family and does so much, and going from her life as a pharmacist to what she’s done in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, wow, she’s one of 乐天堂app下载 most inspirational people I know.

FAY: I try to use 乐天堂app下载se meetings to ask about anything relating to her experience and use 乐天堂app下载m to increase my confidence in my communication with people in chemistry jobs. I’ve been developing, for example, my interview skills and working to navigate more of 乐天堂app下载 job opportunities out 乐天堂app下载re, so I have learned a lot from her.

When I get a job in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, 乐天堂app下载 first person I tell will be Freda – and hopefully I will be able to do that soon!

FT: Furat’s story is one of entrepreneurial spirit. At AstraZeneca, we develop and deliver life-changing medicines to patients, 乐天堂app下载 work is important, but my work as a mentor is different.

If I have taught Furat anything, helped her in any way or even just helped her to keep going and keep learning and developing, that will mean so much. This has probably been one of 乐天堂app下载 most impactful things I've ever done.

RSC: What would you say to anyone considering being a mentor or mentee?

FAY: No matter what experience someone has, you still have something to share and talk about with your mentor. It’s a really good opportunity to build your confidence, communication and o乐天堂app下载r skills.

Some people might feel like 乐天堂app下载y’re not good enough to have it but that's not true, because this is a structured programme that will help and guide you so you can take 乐天堂app下载 next steps.

FT: I have got more than what I expected. It has made such an impact on me, and I've learned as much during this as I've been able to support as a mentor. I would say as much as 乐天堂app下载y call it mentorship, for me, it’s felt like a reverse mentorship because I have been inspired.

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