Former UG Education Officer receives Diana Award for charity work

By Louie Bell, News Investigations Editor

Bristol alumnus and former Student Union officer Nasra Ayub has been commended for her humanitarian work in tackling gender-based violence.

On Wednesday 1st July, former UoB Undergraduate Education officer Nasra Ayub was awarded the highest humanitarian award available to young people in the UK.

Nasra has worked with Integrate UK, a youth-charity working towards gender and racial equality, since the age of 15.

Specifically, her work revolves around education and safeguarding for gender-based violence and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

She has since risen to become Integrate UK’s Lead Outreach Worker, has worked with the Home Office and represented the charity at the African Union in Ethiopia.

Speaking to Epigram, Nasra said: ‘I think it feels great to get the award – to be recognised for the work that I’ve been doing and have done.

‘I think it’s also a motivator that people are listening, people are recognising that these are issues that need to be addressed and acknowledged.’

Nasra studied Politics and Philosophy at Bristol, where she was Co-President of the Feminist Society and highly engaged with campus issues.

As Undergraduate Education Officer 2018-19, she worked to decolonise the curriculum, improve the diversity of the University staffing body and to reduce hidden course costs.

‘I’ve been around doing this work for a while now so it’s very humbling to be recognised nationally and in such a way that is prestigious.’

Created in 1999 to honour Princess Diana’s memory, the award recognises those aged between 9 and 25 who go above and beyond in service of charitable and humanitarian work.

As part of the recognition, Prince Harry paid tribute to the award’s recipients and apologised for not doing enough to combat structural racism in society.

In a video the Prince said: ‘My wife said recently that our generation and the ones before us haven't done enough to wipe the wrongs of the past. I too am sorry’.

‘Sorry that we haven't got the world to the place where you deserve it to be. Institutional racism has no place in our societies, yet it is still endemic.’

To the Prince’s message, Nasra responded: ‘To have Prince Harry acknowledge that is a fantastic achievement. I’ve been doing this work for a while now so it’s very humbling to be recognised nationally and in such a prestigious way.’

Featured image: Nasra Ayub

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