A York woman who has set up numerous community projects – including an exhibition documenting the experiences of Ugandan Asian families who fled to York 50 years ago to escape dictator Idi Amin – has been nominated for an award celebrating her work.
Shamim Eimaan was just six years old when she and her family - along with thousands of other Ugandan Asians - were expelled from Uganda by dictator Idi Amin.
Last year (2022) she decided to pull together an exhibition, named Uganda 50, documenting the experiences of Ugandan Asians who fled to the UK - and eventually to York - 50 years ago.
“I just blocked it for many decades,” she said. “In my 40s there came a realisation that I wanted to find more about the story.”
After leaving her job in the NHS at the end of March, Shamim decided to focus on her community projects full-time.
Shamim’s work has been nominated for Best Community Project in The Press’ Community Pride Awards.
The award, which has been sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, is for projects carried out by an informal non-recognised voluntary group that exemplify what can be achieved when people work together.
After opening at the University of York last October, Uganda 50 has since been shown at venues across the city including the Guildhall and Fairfax House.
This month, it will be shown at City of York Council’s West Offices, in Station Rise, from June 19-30 as part of events for Refugee Week, which runs from June 19-25.
Shamim said it was important to tell this story because, despite 50 years passing, many people are still unaware of it.
The 56-year-old, who lives in Fulford, explained how she has started taking it into schools to educate children about the history, but has found that even teachers don’t know the full story.
“Children are going home and telling their parents about it,” she said. “It’s a forgotten story - no one knows about York’s modern history."
Read next:
- Soldiers pulled dad out of the car' - York woman recalls Ugandan terror
- 'Kids love it!' - exhibition marking 50 years since Asians fled Uganda wows schools
- 'I felt so alone': York mum Shamim on why she set up an adoption support group
She described the exhibition as “very emotive”.
“For many people it is the first time in 50 years that they’ve told their stories.
“Most people didn't like to talk about it because it was too traumatic - my parents died before talking about it.”
Shamim said an important aspect of the project has been to encourage the community to talk about their experiences and capture these important oral histories.
She said it’s important to continue to educate about this part of history, because the refugee crisis is still ongoing.
For any queries about this project, email: ugandanAsians50plusyears@gmail.com
Another of her projects is a parents' support group for York adoptive parents.
Shamim is an adoptive parent herself and set up the group after discovering that the issues she faced when bringing up her adopted daughter, who is now 30, are still very much present.
“I found my adoption journey really lonely and difficult,” she said.
The group provides a chance for its members to seek advice from each other and also experts.
“It’s just a really supportive, nice little group,” said Shamim.
Anyone interested in Chat Adoption York is asked to email chatadoptionyork@outlook.com
Nominations are still open for this year's Community Pride awards and can be made using the QR code (pictured) or on The Press’ website.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here