We seek £7,500 to fund Shukria Rezaei, an 18-year-old Hazara refugee, to mentor pupils at Oxford Spires Academy, under the supervision of teacher/poet Kate Clanchy. The story of their work together was recently featured in the Guardian under the headline; The Very Quiet Foreign Girls' Poetry Group.

Shukria, the winner of several national awards, will mentor a number of school-children, including young Afghan refugees from the nearby Campsfield Detention Centre, supporting them in writing and editing their own poetry. 

In addition, as she waits for her immigration status to be confirmed so she can take up a place at university, Shukria will be able to continue her education and focus on her own writing. 

Your donation will also enable Forward Arts Foundation to develop with Kate Clanchy a poetry writing and reading programme replicable in schools with a high proportion of students for whom English is a new language.