My name is Tesfai Berhane and I am 68 years old. I arrived in the UK as a political refugee on Guy Fawkes Night in 1980.
I attended the Royal National College for the blind and then joined the university of London, where I studied professional community and youth work studies. In addition, I did a postgraduate course in Management at the same university. I completed my master’s at the university of East London.
I was employed as a worker at the Refugee Council as a Welfare Rights Advisor which involved giving advice and guidance to different refuge and asylum seekers in London. I was then employed by Lambeth Council in their Education Department where I worked in the Children and Young People’s Service for 25 years. I then took early retirement.
As a volunteer, I was a trustee at the Citizens Advice Bureau in Lambeth and also at the English Education Supplementary and Mother Tongues Schools.
I am currently the Fundraising Officer for the London NFB Branch.