UniArk

Reflecting on a year of remarkable achievements and teamwork, we’re excited to share our 2023-24 Annual Report!

🔗:https://uniark.org/files/AnnualReport2023.pdf

A huge thank you to our dedicated team members, mentors, advisors, and supporters. Your incredible help has made all the difference. 💜🙏

Here’s to building on this success and reaching even greater heights in the year ahead! 💜🙌🏼

Are you interested in pursuing a 's degree at University of Oxford and other institutions worldwide for courses in the 2025-26 academic year? Apply to join Graduate Horizons!

Deadline: Monday 2nd September 5pm BST. 📚🎓

Oxford's Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) is running Graduate Horizons, a global application support programme for prospective students who have been affected by displacement, e.g., as refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, and stateless, among other categories. The programme is designed for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree (or who will soon) and are interested in submitting applications for master's degrees that begin in the 2025-26 academic year at Oxford and other universities.

Learn more about the programme here: https://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/news/rlrh-launches-graduate-horizons-for-2025-2026-academic-year

Apply for the mentorship programme here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoHusFKYZqo5Ye8DFyGlV554e_KLU4r71Zd8lSl-GqDM7dtg/viewform

🔔(Deadline 2 September at 5pm BST)

Delighted to share that UniArk has received a small grant from Homerton Changemakers. And thank you to the generous donation from Rupert Baines for enabling this to happen. 🙏

UniArk helps talented students from persecuted communities to follow their dreams, reach their full potential at some of the world's top universities. 🎓

This financial assistance will help us fund some of our Comms projects and expand our reach through social media and website to both possible supporters and target students, enabling us to achieve our mission.

Big shout out to who have been rooting for us since day 1. 🙌 From their practical and moral guide to financial help - they have the full package for supporting new initiatives like ours.

Special thanks to Dr Soraya Jones, Dr Alison Wood, Georgie Horrell and Lord Simon Woolley.

UniArk is thrilled to announce the incredible achievement of our mentee, Morteza Ehsani, from Herat, Afghanistan. Morteza has been awarded a full ride scholarship to study Computer Science at the prestigious Stanford University!

Despite facing significant challenges, including the collapse of Afghanistan's government in 2021, Morteza's resilience and dedication have led him to this extraordinary success. He is the founder of the Scholastic Journal of Afghanistan and the Mechid Podcast, in which he talks about his passion for education and science.

Reflecting on his journey, Morteza expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of his family and mentors from UniArk, ElevatEd School, and the Columbia University Afghan Student Alliance at Columbia University. His message to other students from Afghanistan is: “The biggest obstacle to our dreams is often ourselves. Have faith in the process, take that first step, and don't hesitate to ask for help.”

Jeevan Ravindran, Morteza’s mentor at UniArk, praised his dedication and resilience, calling his achievements a testament to hard work and a strong support system. “We are so proud of Morteza for his hard work and this achievement is truly remarkable. His dedication and resilience are amazing and we're so happy to have been part of his journey. We can't wait to see what the future holds for him at Stanford"

Congratulations, Morteza! UniArk is incredibly proud of you and we are all excited to see what the future holds at Stanford! 🎉👏

Read more about Morteza’s success here:

https://uniark.org/ #/News

Applications for UniArk Women’s Scholarship for Afghanistan have now closed.

We have received many applications and therefore it will take us sometime to review each application. Please bear with us and we hope to be in touch soon.

Good luck to all applicants! 🙏💜

Only 1 day left to apply to UniArk Women’s Scholarship for Afghanistan!

Know someone who might be eligible? Share this with them! 💜

🔗: https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

There are just two days left to apply to our inaugural UniArk Women’s Scholarship

Find out more about the scholarship and the application requirements here: https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

There are only three days left to apply to our inaugural UniArk Women’s Scholarship ( )

Find out more about the scholarship and the application requirements here: https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

Shukria Rezaei, UniArk Co-Founder shares her thoughts following the launch of our UniArk Women’s Scholarship for female students from Afghanistan, which is open for applications until 24/5/24
Apply today: https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

Susannah Herbert, donor to the UniArk ‘Invest in Her Future Campaign’ shares her thoughts about our UniArk Women’s for female students from , which is open for applications until 24/5/24
https://tr.ee/yICRxBtn5e

Rob Harley, donor to the UniArk ‘Invest in Her Future Campaign’ shares his thoughts about our UniArk Women’s for female students from , which is open for applications until 24/5/24.

⏰ Apply today: https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

[Homerton Changemakers, Homerton College, Cambridge]

🎓SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The UniArk Women’s offers £35,000 of funding for a female student from to pursue a degree at a range of institutions.

🔔Applications close 24/05/2024.

Find out more and how to apply on our website! https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT:

UniArk is pleased to share that after reaching our fundraising target of £35,000, we are awarding a full master’s for a female student from to pursue a masters degree from a range of institutions worldwide.

Applications are now open until 24/05/2024! Don’t miss out on this opportunity.
Find out more about eligibility and the application process on our website.

We could not have achieved this without the support of our generous donors who rallied behind our cause.
Find out more on our website: https://uniark.org/ #/UWS

Homerton Changemakers Homerton College, Cambridge

UniArk is proud to announce the successful completion of its ‘Invest in Her Future’ Campaign, which launched on Women’s Day last year with the aim of securing funding.

Stay tuned for some exciting news to come in the coming days 👀🤫

MEET THE TEAM: Danielle Kurtin

Danielle is a UniArk Mentor and Trustee.

Danielle credits her science career to the support of a mentor, and joined UniArk to continue spreading the positive impact that her mentor had on her.

Meet the rest of the team: https://uniark.org/ #/Team

MEET THE TEAM: Gonçalo Araujo Regado

Goncalo is a UniArk co-founder. He is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in theoretical Physics in Japan.

He believes UniArk is all about empowering people to be the best they can be + unleashing talent through opportunity.

Meet the rest of the UniArk team: https://uniark.org/ #/Team

MEET THE TEAM: Najib Sharifi

Najib is one of the Uni Ark co-founders.
Currently working in the technology sector, he holds a PhD in Molecular Chemistry from the University of Cambridge.

Najib Co-Founded UniArk, driven by the belief that education is the most powerful tool for tackling global challenges.

Meet the rest of the team: https://uniark.org/ #/Team

🎓 At UniArk, we break barriers that pave the way for disadvantaged students worldwide to access higher education - at top universities.

👩‍🎓👨‍🎓🧑‍🎓 Our team of mentors offer personalised support and advice through their own experiences of successfully applying to world-class universities and securing scholarships.

🎯 Join us in shaping a diverse community of future leaders!

🌐 Head to our website to find out more about UniArk and our mission: https://uniark.org

We recently caught up with Nemat, who is now truly settled into his course at the University of Sussex, here's what he had to say:

'Over the last two days, I had the opportunity to serve as both a panellist and a participant at a student conference organized by the School of Global Studies. During this event, I shared insights about Stretch More and gained valuable knowledge from the remarkable initiatives undertaken by my fellow schoolmates. Witnessing their past experiences and accomplishments served as a source of inspiration, encouraged me to keep dreaming and pushing for a better world for the people on the margins including myself and others with disabilities.

The diverse range of topics covered by fellow panellists was truly engaging. These included themes such as environment, sustainability, and activism; emergency humanitarian response; inclusion and intersectionality in global justice work; transforming institutions through power, resistance, and agency; as well as discussions on gender, children's rights, peacebuilding, and violence prevention.'

We're so glad that Nemat is having such a good time at university and is able to continue his truly inspirational work with ❤️

If you'd like to support us in helping more students like Nemat, please consider donating at https://gofund.me/a6f7b4c9

Now that we're 2 weeks into the new year...how are your resolutions going?👀

At UniArk, we're off to a rolling start, with more mentors helping more mentees than ever! Our mission this year is exactly the same as last year, but this time...BIGGER!💪

We're almost halfway to reaching our fundraising goal for our Women's Scholarship Fund, and this year we'll reach our goal, we just know it! If you want to help us reach our goal, please head over to https://www.gofundme.com/f/pnpg3-invest-in-her-future to donate...although we can't promise to help you run a marathon or hit 500K subscribers in return...

Let's make 2024 UniArk's best year yet!💜

Happy New Year from the UniArk team!!✨

We wish all of you a healthy, prosperous, and peaceful 2024!

#2024

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas from the UniArk team!⭐

In this year and every other, we're hoping to give the invaluable gift of education to all those around the world who are prevented from accessing it, and we hope you'll join us in our mission!

Door Number Six...Black and British: A Forgotten History, by David Olusoga (along with the four-part TV series of the same name).

Far from an easy read, this book explores the long history of black people in Britain, starting with the Roman occupation and going all the way up to the modern day, including Olusoga's own experiences of growing up in the UK.

A deeply important book examining the Black British identity, this is a must-read for anyone wanting to know more about the history of Britain, and modern race relations on the island.

Door Number Five...My Neighbour Totoro!

A wholesome classic, this film is the perfect winter movie to snuggle up to. Not just about the good vibes though, it's also a wonderful exploration of the relationship between humans and nature, and reminds us of the mutual benefit that we can gain from loving and respecting the world around us🌳

So, for a healthy dose of whimsy and childlike wonder, we recommend watching some Studio Ghibli films!❤️

Door Number Four...An incredible academic with an incredible story, Srinivasa Ramanujan is an inspiration to all. He struggled through numerous health issues, family bereavements, and being turned away by scholars who didn't believe in his work, and eventually became recognised as one of the most significant mathematicians of his time.

We'd really recommend reading more on Ramanujan and his theories, especially if you're mathematically inclined!📐

Door Number Three...Varaidzo 'Vee' Kathivu!!

This Zimbabwean activist is an inspiration to us all, tirelessly working to empower women and girls around the world, advocating education for all, and generally being a real delight to watch on screen and read in text!!

Go and check out Vee's website and YouTube channel for some joy and inspiration!❤️

Behind Door Number Two...Virgil's Aeneid!

This ancient Roman classic has stood the test of time, and remains one of the greatest epic poems ever written...a tale of war, adventure, and glory; we can learn a lot from this poem about so many different things, not least about the devastating impacts of war on everyone involved. Despite being set in the mythical past of Rome, the Aeneid still carries poignant messages for us all today.

Go check out Virgil's Aeneid, and remember to stick around for Door Number Three tomorrow!

Behind Door Number One...Umm Kulthum!

This renowned Egyptian vocalist was dubbed the Star of the East, Egypt's Fourth Pyramid, and one of Rolling Stone's Greatest Singers of All Time!

This recommendation comes from UniArk mentor and trustee Danielle, who says she fell in love with Umm Kulthum's music after being introduced to it by a friend, and enjoying the extended pieces. Their unique organisation, with time for audience applause, as well as Kulthum's incredible voice, make these songs something truly special!

A super strong recommendation to kick off our 30 days of December, so go check the gorgeous sounds of Umm Kulthum!❤️🎼

Happy December from the UniArk team!❄

As this year draws to a close, we want to give you something special to take with you into the new year...so for the next 30 days, we're going to be posting every. single. day.👀

That's right...30 days of motivational quotes, music and book recommendations, study tips, and more!

So stick with us this snowy season as we head into the 2024 with optimism, love, and plenty of energy for change!❤️

Calling all students!!

Register now for this event, where you'll be able to talk to reps from local charities (including UniArk of course), and find out how to get more involved in their amazing work!

Always proud to be involved with the wonderful Homerton Changemakers community🥰

Join Homerton Changemakers, in collaboration with the HUS, MCR and Changemaker ambassadors, at an event where you can meet representatives from local charities, find out what they do and how you can help. You will have the opportunity to meet people, ask questions and sign up to initiatives which make a real difference.

There will be pizza and beer and the event is open to all students from all Colleges and Universities!
Sign up using this link: https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/events/change-community-do-good-volunteering