A READING student has been awarded a prestigious accolade recognising her remarkable resilience, courage, and dedication to lifelong learning.
Rasha Mustafa, who attends New Directions College, has been awarded the Learner Award at the Ascentis 50th Anniversary Lifetime Learning Awards.
The achievement follows a number of significant personal challenges she has faced.
While living in a single hotel room with her three children for eight months, Rasha completed two Ascentis Volunteering qualifications and progressed rapidly through her ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) studies.
She has been commended for doing so with positivity, determination, and an unwavering commitment to her education; her tutors consistently describe her as an exceptional learner and a joy to teach.
Beyond her own studies, Rasha has devoted herself to helping others: she volunteers at a local Homework Club supporting refugee children and adults, provides invaluable classroom assistance in a pre-entry ESOL class at the college, and has stepped forward to interpret for newly arrived families adjusting to life in the UK.
A former teacher in her home country, Rasha will begin her AET training as she works toward rebuilding her teaching career in the UK.
Her journey has been described as a powerful testament to perseverance and compassion, and she has worked to become an inspiration to learners, staff, and the wider community.
New Directions College celebrates this well-deserved recognition and congratulates Rasha on her outstanding achievement.
Cllr Rachel Eden, Lead Councillor for Public Health and Education, said: “Rasha’s story is a shining example of the power of education to transform lives.
“Her determination to keep learning, even in the face of immense challenges, is truly inspiring. She has not only achieved so much for herself but has given back to her community in remarkable ways.
“We are proud to celebrate her success and the vital role New Directions College plays in helping people reach their potential.”
