Kaamla* is from Afghanistan and came from a community where women were not allowed to go to school. Consequently, she grew up with no education and unable to read and write.
She came to the UK 25 years ago and has gradually learnt good literacy skills, but has low confidence in her abilities. This isn’t helped by living in an all-male household where her position is considered to be the one who tends the home and nothing else.
Kaamla is keen to learn IT skills, as she is aware of the possibilities that it will open up for her. Although her son is studying IT at university, he won’t let her anywhere near his computer or share his knowledge. She wanted to learn some simple things on her (very old) smartphone. She joined our Adult Education ESOL (English) classes. We taught her to access Google classroom and how to edit homework documents. But the thing she most enjoyed was learning how to take photographs and to send them to her family in Afghanistan. This has opened up her world just a little bit!
Kaamla is not someone who smiles a lot, but the smile on her face at the end of that zoom session was a humble reminder of the reason why we love to be in education. She’s been sending us regular photos since.
*Note: Names have been changed to ensure anonymity.
Katherine Low Settlement is a much-loved, busy charity that has been at the heart of the community in Battersea, south-west London, since 1924.
With a few staff and a lot of volunteers, Katherine Low Settlement runs a range of its own popular community projects including educational courses and wellbeing activities. The charity supports children, young people and their families, older people, refugees and newly arrived communities of all genders, nationalities and religions.
The Katherine Low Settlement building in Battersea High Street, opened in 1924, is used for community activities and events, usually – until the arrival of Covid-19 – by over 500 people a week. Its rooms are available for hire at affordable rates.
Katherine Low Settlement is grateful for the funding received from supporters, trusts and foundations to enable the charity to continue to reduce poverty and isolation and bring Battersea together.
Aaron Barbour
Director
Katherine Low Settlement
Telephone: 020 7223 2845
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.klsettlement.org.uk
Pictures
High resolution digital images available from Katherine Low Settlement press contacts.