SEADA FEKADU
2016
YOUNG WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER
Seada Fekadu fled Eritrea at the age of 16 and found her way to the UK, via Calais, on the back of the truck, on her own. Without knowing a word of English, she managed to find her way to safety in London, and as soon as she was able to do so, she started helping other young people with similar experiences. In addition to mentoring other young people, Seada is working to ensure their voices are heard in places where decisions are made about their lives. She was quickly granted refugee status and soon started volunteering, becoming a mentor and a role model to many young people. Seada is a powerful advocate for many of those who often do not have a voice and who, like she once was, are children seeking protection and trying to start a new life on their own. She is about to go to university to fulfil her dream of giving back to Britain by becoming a doctor.