Calling philanthropists, environmentalists, and friends. Please can you support me as I take up my masters to make the world a more resilient place?

I'll by studying at Lund University taking an MSc in Environmental Management and Sustainability Sciences.

I have a first class degree in Anthropology from the University of Southampton under my belt. My experience in the social sciences gives me an important perspective on ecosystem degradation: How do societies, cultures, peoples bounce back when the going gets tough? How do we change our perspective to respect the natural environment for the power it has?

I am looking for you support to help me to pay the rent which is 4,200SEK or roughly £360 per month bills included. I have reached out to postgraduate funders for their support but have been falling through the cracks as I am studying abroad (a lot of funding is just for Britons studying in Britain).

A bit more detail...

The Nordic countries have always spoken deeply to me. My dad read The Moomins by Tove Jansson to me as a child and my mum instilled lessons of fairness and equity into my mind from a young age. Since I was a small child, I knew that there are communities looking carefully for ways of living which would ensure a quality of life for everyone on this planet.

My calling is environmentalism. On an individual level, I will happily spend hours at my allotment and meticulously fix things to reduce my impact on the environment. My way of life has inspired my friends to grow their own food and to learn to make clothes from scratch. However, I am destined for stronger routes, influencing groups of others, businesses and government to create a more sustainable and resilient way of living in an ever changing world.

I recall a friend’s mum commenting, when I was about 11, that I would make a great leader if I just allowed my strengths of empathy, listening and problem solving to shine through. Despite feeling empowered by this comment, I did not want to lead. As a young girl I was often told I was bossy if I spoke up so I picked less battles and became, to those looking in, 'quiet'. However female gender norms could not quell my inner strength; I found my forte for speaking out when others were not heard. Taking the bull(y) by the horns in group settings by saying, ‘was there something which you wanted to add?’ to individuals who were interrupted by the more boisterous and often less informed group members.

Rainbow over the City Hall, Bristol

As much as I love my home in Bristol; we are heralded for being environmentally minded, liberal and compassionate, there are big problems in this city. I have learnt a lot from my 7 years living in the city where both of my parents grew up but ultimately, I am looking for a more international perspective. The world is a big place. I have carefully researched places to study and Sweden has come out as the best place for me to cultivate my drive to find a more sustainable future. Lund provides an international masters and thus the opportunity to learn from others on what we can implement here in the UK.

Sweden is known globally for being forward thinking, particularly in the realm of environmental issues. One of the key organisations currently working to investigate and communicate the effects of environmental degradation is the Intergovernmental Pannel for Climate Change (the IPCC). The university which I have been fortunate enough to be offered a place at is Lund University. Lund is Sweden's oldest and most prestigious university of which professors, who contribute to the course I will study, have written IPCC reports.

On my return, I intend to provide leadership in the field of environmentalism. Leadership to me is about speaking out on behalf of those who are not yet heard; making space in often busy conversation to allow minority groups to speak up and share their own wisdom. My intention is to learn more about the wider world's response to human caused climate change by studying an international Master of Science in Sweden. I will then go on to provide much needed advocacy for the planet as a globally minded leader.

Thank you for reading this far. The course in Sweden is free and I am used to living on a budget however, I will need a roof over my head and food to eat. Any money raised will go directly into paying my rent in Lund.

My graduation from my undergraduate degree in anthropology in 2013. I've been harping on about studying for an environmental masters ever since!