RIJU SHAH

Riju Shah is a student of Politics and Economics at Aston University, due to graduate in 2021. She works part-time as a personal case manager, whilst balancing her studies. Riju also volunteers at a non-governmental charity called Patchwork, an organisation that supports the participation of BAME individuals in politics. Her current role is within the executive team, where she supports the day-to-day running of the charity.

“If you let downfalls get to you, this will only put you down.”

Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story!

My name is Riju. My parents emigrated to the United Kingdom from Bangladesh in the 1990's to seek better opportunities and a better life. I was born a few years after they arrived. As a family we settled down and continued to live in the United Kingdom. I am now 22 years old, studying Politics and Economics at University. 

Q: What was your experience of the global pandemic crisis? Did it change your life and/or your views about the world? If so, how?

I was lucky enough to have a job during the pandemic, so my experience was pretty much just working from home and studying, as I had exams and coursework due, being a final year student. I would say the pandemic has changed me as a person as I have had over a year to reflect on myself, career prospects and have dedicated time towards my own personal development and growth. I have also learnt new skills and picked up hobbies which I otherwise would not have done due to always working or just being busy with other commitments. One thing the pandemic did for me was create time for myself and, looking back now, this was needed. Moving forward I will make more time for myself and enjoy my time a lot more! I will also appreciate things around me more than I have before. 

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

There are several challenges in society right now. To name a few: racism, gender discrimination, climate issues, poverty, homelessness - the list goes on. These issues have been going on for several years, not just in the United Kingdom, but all over the world. 

Q: Can you share with us some of the hurdles that you have had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

Being a young minority ethnic woman of Muslim background, also from a small town and growing up where opportunities are not as easily accessible as others, was definitely a hurdle. Sometimes this would demotivate me and I would just feel like giving up due to feeling not good enough. I would shy away from opportunities which I knew I could do, or feel like an outsider due to imposter syndrome. I overcame this hurdle by focusing on my skills and experience and branching out to every job, opportunity or schemes rather than limiting myself due to feeling less worthy. I also became proud of my accomplishments and used this to drive my ambition, rather than letting any differences slow me down. 

Q: If you were to ask one thing from our current leaders, what would it be?

If I could ask current leaders one question, it would be what they are doing to make the world a better place to live in and how are they seeking to overcome societal challenges such as climate issues. Leaders have the most power, therefore can implement rules or laws to make the world better for citizens. Additionally, they also have a duty to act to serve the people.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

The role of a mentor is important because individuals like myself can benefit of their perspective and experience. Additionally, a mentor helps plan and further explore paths in future projects and jobs, whilst promoting personal and professional development. Being given a direct opportunity for knowledge sharing is something that would not normally be easily accessible for me, but through this programme this has been made possible. I would love to become a mentor myself one day and inspire someone like me who needs a bit of guidance and a reminder that they are doing just fine. 

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

One thing life has taught me is to never give up. Regardless of the hurdles or obstacles that may arise, one shouldn’t stop aiming for the best or stop pursuing their dreams. I have learnt this through several rejections and people telling me I am not good enough. 

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

A project which I believe is doing great work in helping improve other people’s lives is Marcus Rashford’s free school meal project which aims to tackle child poverty in the UK. Rashford took matters into his own hands, highlighting how you do not have to be a minister or a member of the government to make a change or influence government policy. This project inspired me massively, and I believe it will pave the way for future projects which look to change lives of citizens in the UK. 

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Women face challenges in the United Kingdom in the workplace. As well as the issue of the gender pay gap, women are sometimes not given the same opportunities to take lead and are less likely to become CEOs, when compared to men. It is even harder for women of colour who face an additional burden and level of discrimination. COVID-19 has amplified these inequalities and highlighted the disparities within the UK workforce which need to be tackled. Previous actions that have been taken to overcome this includes acts which have prohibited unfair pay due to sex/gender. Additionally, more recently we are seeing jobs aimed at BAME individuals or schemes which give female students or young females from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to get involved in great programmes. 

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that you love or you find interesting!

We May Encounter Many Defeats But We Must Not Be Defeated.” – Maya Angelou. If you let downfalls get to you, this will only put you down. This quote by Maya Angelou is something I live by. When in doubt or when things do not go as planned, I refer to this and it makes me feel hopeful. 

Q: Can you share with us a project that you would like to make happen for your country or a cause that you are passionate about? 

The core mission of the Global Thinkers Forum is to promote values-based thinking and accountability in leadership. Recently, especially as we’ve seen in the past year, young people are realising that being hopeful that things will change isn’t enough – standing up and taking action for causes you believe in will achieve much more. My goal is to become a leader of the next generation and work with the establishments that have the power to bring about real change to the futures of those who will need it most. A focus of mine is climate change and how I can spread awareness on the issue and empower the youth at the same time. I want to empower, inspire and make a huge difference to society one day.