Deus Sekandi - MPhil
I chose Homerton College after thorough research for its good welfare support, being accessible and within easy reach of the Faculty of Education.
My MPhil in Educational Research
I did an MPhil in Educational research with an aim of acquiring more knowledge and skills needed in the research field. My research work focused more on the experiences of disabled people and activists in England.
Studying at Homerton
From day one, I received a welcoming support from both staff and students. Homerton College is a home to me because of the good atmosphere, excellent fellow students and provision of good accommodation. In addition, the tutor for postgraduates is an amazing person who made my life at Homerton College very easy through mentoring and being available whenever needed. I am so grateful to have had a tutor who, even after studies were completed, followed up with me.
What advice would you pass on to prospective postgraduate students?
Homerton College is exceptional with wonderful staff who are there to listen to postgraduate students and offer guidance. For postgraduates it is important to use all opportunities available to them at Homerton College to better the performance in their studies. Do not fear to ask if you need assistance from either staff or fellow students.
The Homerton College Gardens
The gardens are great for relaxing, discussing ideas with new students and making friends. The student kitchens in the accommodations blocks were a good place to gather and share advice and your experiences of the day. The Library is a nice quiet place for reading book.
What are your future plans?
I look forward to joining the alumni network of Homerton College to network with existing alumni. I also have plans to continue in academia possibly while working. I have a strong passion for the empowerment of people with disabilities. Being a person with a disability, I have gone through a number of challenging life situations. I, therefore, feel it is time to give back and support fellow people with disabilities in the United Kingdom. People with disabilities (PWDs) are among the most marginalized and forgotten communities and they face a number of prejudices and discrimination in their pursuit of better standards of living. It is also estimated that about 20% of them live in developed countries according to the United Nations, the United Kingdom inclusive. I would like to continue to be a disability activist to fight against the discrimination and injustices of persons with disabilities in the United Kingdom and represent them on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Committee. especially those with marginalized disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy.
Being a victim of torture, I have developed an interest in supporting people who flee their country for safety because of having been tortured in their own country of origin. I would like to work for research departments on torture victims, and agencies such as the United Nations that deal with torture victims by offering counseling and psychosocial support in order to improve the lives of tortured victims in the UK and internationally.
