Anesar Shaibi

Anesar’s job for the last seven years has been to work with the Yemeni Community Association as both a paid, part-time ESOL tutor, and as a part-time support worker. But what is most important about Anesar’s contribution is the fact that she works additionally as a volunteer for the YCA with particular groups of our people that frequently get overlooked. Her work as an ESOL tutor for the last seven years has been with ladies over 60, many of whom seldom used to leave their homes. Anesar has made them realise that “learning has no age limit and they have become keen to go on other courses”.

As a support worker, she frequently visits clients on weekends and bank holidays and is always available for questions and queries. She lives in the area and although many clients come to see her at home, she always responds to them – reading letters, answering questions, and trying to solve problems…. “Her magic wand can’t solve all their problems but the magic in her character makes her clients feel 110% supported and confident…” It is this support for women as both an English tutor and as a support worker that also led her, alongside others from YCA, to set up the el-Nisah organisation for women of Arab/North African origin in this area.

Anesar – like many of those honoured at the awards – is the kind of person who doesn’t “shout her own praises – she does over and above what’s expected of her without expecting anything in return.” Why is she so special though? As her proposer has said: “Anesar has supported many of the women in the Yemeni community who have gone through marriage breakdowns and/or have been victims of domestic abuse. In a community where this is still considered (by some) a taboo, she has ignored comments from people against her and has supported the women regardless. She has offered a much needed hand and shoulder to cry on to women who felt completely alone and isolated in the community…”