Cost Of Inequality Story 8- A student midwife talks about the challenges of leaving steady income to retrain as a midwife in the context of rising costs. She shares the difficulties but remains hopeful.
Transcript
Hi, Felix. Thanks for agreeing to be part of this project. My name is Jean Claude Kuku. I'm one of the community reporter
I've got one question for you today. The question is what are the everyday stresses and strains you are currently facing at the moment? Wow, that's a very interesting question. You know, when that question is normally asked, you can't help But just to think about one's personal well being, um, your health, mental health, especially, um, situations like depression, financial challenges, difficulties just managing every day
Me personally. For the past four years, I have embarked on a journey, um, to become a mid a nurse and then a future midwife, and that has led me to budgeting student finance. Looking after my family, I'm a mom of two married, you know, coming from a point where I had financially I was stable
Um, because of the job I was in previously, I had a steady income. And then to take the leap of faith to start a new journey and a new chapter, it hasn't been easy. I've had, um, sleepless night
I've had periods where financially we are not managing. We've not coped and that can really have a big impact, not just me personally, but because I have dependents that affects them as well. And it's not even easy with marriage
And when you only have, like, one main income coming through to the family. Yes, you get to the final, but it doesn't balance everything. And that has been very challenging
And, you know, the most recent one is finishing in nearly the end of, um, the degree and then you get, like your last student finance somewhere in April and the the degree is finishing in September. How does one manage? So you pick a few bank shift there here and there, but it's not. It's not easy because you still have to do your studies
You still have to manage your home. You still have to play the role of your wife, and you still have to balance. And we all know the current economic situation
Things are not easy. The fuel, the gas, everything is a pain. Everything is a financial burden right now, so it hasn't been easy, and that has been one main stress factor
One main area that's the finances and just trying to balance make ends meet and not just living by the £3 at the end of the month. Sort of balance or sometimes even in a red. Before you even start a new month, It hasn't been easy, and I don't know, but you know, I don't I don't wake up to fail
So, I, I don't let this dampen my spirit. Um, I keep persevering. I keep going and, um Well, mhm
I hope this is this is not always gonna be this way. But it's a very difficult question that you've asked. And, um yeah, it hasn't been easy financially
Hasn't been easy emotionally. Hasn't been easy. Physically, mentally All of it hasn't been easy
But I do pray and hope to God that my degree would mean something to flip this all around as well. In a way. Thank you for your time
Thanks for hacking. Ok, Thanks, Felix. Thank you for your time as well
Ok, bye bye..