In my own words
Soghra has written her story in her own words, explaining how the RMC Women’s Group has impacted her:
“My name is Soghra, I’m 48, and I’m from Afghanistan. I didn’t go to school in Afghanistan so I couldn’t read and write when I came to England. In the beginning I was worried about starting ESOL classes because I never went to school before. But when my youngest child started secondary school, I could dedicate more time for myself and I finally had the confidence to start learning English in the community.
I recently joined a friendly ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) group at RMC. Then I was offered a place at the Women’s group, which I accepted with great enthusiasm. RMC’s Women’s Group is a safe space where I feel listened to and supported by other women. In my culture, men are dominant and I don’t feel comfortable around them, so when I’m with women only, I feel much more confident and my voice is heard.
The 2 group leaders really make sure that we’re all listened to and supported and that we enjoy the time we spend together and chat about any topics that women are interested in. We also have a lot of fun and we laugh a lot. Having the 2 leaders in the group is like having 2 great buddies that you can learn a lot from; a concept that I had always missed since I came to live in the UK. They guide us through life here and give us tips on how to do things.”
Soghra reflects on a group visit to Wightwick Manor National Trust:
“I had never been to Wightwick Manor National Trust before. Honestly, the place is incredible. The group leaders made it all fun. Our host was great at introducing to us the stories of the Manders and fine details of Wolverhampton. An RMC staff member worked hard to translate for us and to make sure we all enjoyed the stories. I learned how to place an order in the Café. Now I’m much more confident to go to Cafes with friends and order a drink.
I don’t have any extended family here in Wolverhampton, and there aren’t many friends to visit or invite over, so it gets a bit lonely very often. I often want to do something interesting with my family and go out to explore, but I don’t know where to go or what to do. Now Wightwick is my first destination for a family outing.”
Soghra was later informed that Wightwick Manor offer volunteer placements, which she is now very keen to take part in.
She states this is because of the group visit to the Manor showing her “how beautiful the place is and how interesting it may be to actually help there”.
Soghra extends her “thanks to those involved, for making the Women’s group and the trip to Wightwick possible”
Found this helpful? There’s plenty more to discover.
Need help? Check out all our support options
Want more stories and articles? Explore our latest topics
Want to learn more? We have lots of resources to build your knowledge
Ready to take action? Make a difference in a way that suits you
