Barnabas Wale

I am 24 years of age and I have lived on my own since I was 17.   I am currently a student at the University of Bedfordshire, studying for a BA in English Language and Teaching. 

When I left home I opened a small market business in Bristol, which I then moved to Camden market in 2006. It was in Camden that I came into contact with a myriad of languages and cultures of people from all over the world, all with extraordinary and inspiring stories. I began to help friends with their English skills and homework and this is what led me to the path which I am now on.  

My future aspirations include travel and the refinement of my own second language studies. I have family living in Spain, Morocco, and the Caribbean, so as a child I was lucky enough to have seen different corners of the world.  I think these early experiences solidified a social conscience in me, having witnessed poverty and deprivation at an early age. During the summer of this year I began to volunteer at Bedford’s own African and Caribbean centre, helping children with heritage projects.

Through Uprising I became a part of the social action campaign entitled ‘Branding for Bedford’, a project which aims at greater social cohesion, through networking and celebration of Bedford’s melting pot.  

I guess I’m always looking for inspiration, sometimes I find it in strange places, for example a cleaner at my work who has PhD in political science, or anything which impresses upon me the  extraordinary nature of the human condition, in particular the indomitable spirit of positive action in the face of incredible odds.