From Jacari pupil to trustee
Sofia Latif shares her story about how she became a Jacari trustee, a journey that started when she was a teenager and received support from a Jacari tutor.
During one of the lockdown periods of the Covid pandemic, I received a call from Jane, my Jacari tutor from over 30 years ago. We hadn’t been in touch for a few years but now I was being told that Jacari was interested in telling our story. I must admit that at that point I didn’t know that I had a long connection to the organisation that is Jacari. All I knew was that in my formative years when I needed a source of guidance and inspiration, I’d been extremely lucky to have Jane.
After reliving my memories and learning about the organisation that was instrumental in me achieving my life’s goals thus far, I was about to be given the chance to ‘pay back’ - I was invited to sit on the Board of Trustees. In this capacity, I have been involved in recruitment fairs at the Town Hall and Freshers’ Fair at Oxford University to attract new volunteer tutors. It is so heartwarming to see there isn’t a shortage of passionate and enthusiastic people wanting to be a part of this great cause.
I feel so privileged being able to share my own experiences and presenting myself as a happy Jacari recipient. I am constantly reminded of this anonymous quote: “Success isn’t just about what you achieve in life, it’s about what you inspire others to do”.