"If you don't come from a background familiar with higher education, it takes courage, empathy and perseverance to find your way. It also requires recognition and opportunities to help you develop." VUfonds aims to spare others the long and sometimes lonely journey that Fatima experienced. We create opportunities for those who have the motivation but not the means to develop themselves further.
At primary school, going alone to the 10-minute meetings with your teacher because your parents do not speak Dutch. Being structurally underestimated at school because you speak Moroccan at home. Not feeling at home in education because you don't know the academic culture and customs. Fatima Ouriouer, business controller at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, like many other first-generation professionals with a migration background, has experienced it all.
"It was a path full of barriers. I often had to prove myself and convince people of my potential." But that only made her more determined: "I wanted to show my parents that the sacrifices they had to make as migrant workers were not in vain. My father worked day and night, often in several factories at once. My mother is smart and wise, but never got the opportunity to study. She always told me, 'Make sure you study, do what I couldn't do'. I always carry a deep sense of gratitude for their sacrifices and support."
"Again and again, I had to show what I was worth"
Thanks to her determination, Fatima successfully worked her way through all levels of education: from Mavo to MBO, through the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences to university and now her job at VU Amsterdam, as well as a postgraduate programme. It is precisely this kind of perseverance that makes students like Fatima such valuable professionals who deserve all support they can get.
First-generation professionals bring perseverance, resilience and empathy. These are traits our society desperately needs. Fatima sums it up this way, "Supporting new talent is an investment in the future, not only of the professional himself, but of the whole society."
"Here at VU Amsterdam, these qualities are recognised. Here, they look at the story behind the student or employee. That's why I feel so at home here. I like the fact that VU Amsterdam also translates its people-oriented approach into support for talents who are motivated but lack the means to develop further themselves. VUfonds enables them to continue their studies and pursue their careers."
