Tamene thrilled by university aid

A student who fled to this country following a devastating volcanic eruption in her homeland has received funding to help her pay for her university education.

Tamene John, 26, of Beaumont Leys, Leicester, came to Britain with her mother and three siblings from Montserrat when she was 10, one of thousands of families who left the Caribbean island after the 1995 eruption.

Her father was dead but had instilled in her the desire to strive and to believe in herself.

Her mother, too, did all she could to encourage her children to better themselves through education.

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But Tamene, who is studying for a foundation degree in children, families and community, at De Montfort University, found lack of cash was hampering her education.

She had sold her car, got into debt and was struggling to get by on £20 a week while raising her son, Addison, five, as well as continuing her studies.

However, she has now won one of five £1,000 scholarships set up by civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson and presented to students whose determination to succeed against difficult circumstances has impressed the university.

"I'm still smiling," Tamene said. "I can't thank the Rev Jackson enough. My father was educated in Britain and he wanted all of his kids to strive and succeed.

"Throughout my life, I've always wanted to succeed and have better prospects, not only for me but for my son as well. I felt helpless because of my money situation."

Tamene went to Sir Jonathan North Community College in Knighton, Leicester, and did an access course at Leicester College before being accepted by De Montfort.

She plans to do a BSc top-up degree next year and her ambition is to be a sexual health nurse, running counselling sessions for young people.

She said: "I'm so passionate about this as a career. I still can't believe I've been given the Rev Jesse Jackson prize.

"When they told me I started to cry a bit, not because I was sad, but because I felt De Montfort had supported me so much with my studies."

Mr Jackson was given an honorary degree by the university in 2011. His bursary was set up to commemorate his relationship with the university.