Black History Month: Linda's story
During Black History Month, we are celebrating the achievements of our colleagues of black heritage and their contribution to helping people in our local communities.
Linda Aidoo, one of our nurses, talks about her journey from Ghana to Essex.
I feel I am embraced for who I am
“For me I wanted to take a challenge that would help me have a sense of satisfaction because I had worked already in Ghana for about 11 years, starting from a lesser role and working my way up to a role where I was supervising people on wards. I wanted to push myself more to not only have a level of job satisfaction but also to have a better future for my children.
“The UK is a multicultural setting that would accept myself as a black lady and also accept my children without any form of racism so that is why I chose the UK.
“EPUT doesn’t only have white and British people, it has a mixture of everybody from all sides of the world. I told myself this will be home for me, I will feel comfortable here because I wanted an environment that didn’t see my colour as a restriction but an environment that would embrace me for who I am and the knowledge and skills I bring on board and the positivity.”
Be bold
“I am a Fante by ethnicity in Ghana. We have about 16 regions and I’m from the southern part of Ghana.
“As an African, an African woman for that matter, I am an outgoing person because I was taught by dad never to be reserved so I equally wanted an environment that would listen to me, an environment that would accept me no matter how bold I am. This environment I believe will give me that opportunity to express my freely."
Education is the key to understanding
“Some people have a perception because they haven’t travelled to Africa to experience the kind of Africa we have. Some people come and when they see we also have tall buildings, we are technologically inclined, and other things they become surprised. So I think a lot of education will help.
“Skin colour shouldn’t matter, your race shouldn’t matter, wherever you come from shouldn’t matter. If that is put in place, we would all feel accepted, we would all feel at home.
“We should keep on educating people and that education even starts from me because I am always glad to tell people where I am from.
“I am a proud Ghanaian and I am a Fante for that matter so I always let people know.
“I believe being given platforms such as Black History Month will also educate people so they can come to know who Africans are, who blacks are and I believe we are all one family.”
