Platform 51

meet the women we work with

Marisa

Marisa, 27, gets involved and take part in as many things as she can at Platform 51 Bristol

“I left home to come to Bristol to start what I was hoping would be a better life. I had saved a sum of money and found a private landlord who I thought I could trust but turned out I couldn’t. And after having to report the landlord for aggressive and threatening behaviour, and a court hearing ruled in my favour - I found myself at a women’s hostel, where I met Rosie, a project worker from Platform 51. Rosie ran a group for residents at the hostel. This group also presented me with many opportunities to get involved and take part in our community and other Platform 51 activities.

"It was through this group that I became involved in the Platform 51 Bristol steering group and v task activities. At the point where I joined the steering group, the existing members had already worked together and had even won an award for the sex education video they had wrote, filmed and starred in. So I was a bit apprehensive about not being a part of the project from the roots, but eventually I felt comfortable enough to lead a session.

Life changing

"I was selected to represent Platform 51 at a study session in Budapest hosted by the Council of Europe in April 2010. This experience has been the most life changing experience I have had to date. We discussed and debated: sexual health and reproductive rights, human rights and injustice, violence against women and economic justice and equality. There were representatives from all around the different pockets of Europe, which brought a richness and depth to the debates and discussions and as I learnt, culture and religion had a vast effect on people’s attitudes and expectations around the subjects we approached.

"In October 2010 I also got the chance to get involved with politics, and attended the Labour and Conservative party conferences, where I helped host a quiz event for MPs from their respective parties.

"I have gained so much professionally, and still have so much more to obtain. But more importantly what I have gained personally I will value and utilise for the rest of my life. I feel more confident, empowered and socially included. I’ve met people who are now my friends who I see inside and outside of our group activities and events. When I arrived in Bristol,  I felt hopeless, excluded and like I had no place in society, nothing to offer, nothing to gain and no chance at being happy and leading a productive life. I’m only human and I still have days where I feel like that, but then when I step back and look at what I have achieved in this short time with Platform 51, I know I have every right to have a voice, and I do have something to give that can benefit others and I will keep progressing positively and have the life I’ve long desired. I have the support of all the staff at Platform 51, they are always guiding, and encouraging me to move forward- providing me with the perfect opportunities to grow personally and professionally."

Please help us to help other women like Marisa.