Ayesha Khawaja was born in Rawalpindi ,Pakistan. Her father was a doctor in the armed forces and took early retirement to pursue his own business and eventually politics, her mother was a housewife. She received her education in Islamabad with a bachelor’s in economics and statistics and a subsequent master’s in economics which she could not complete due to personal circumstances.
She got married at the age of 22. In 2000, her husband and Ayesha decided to move to the U.K because he was a British citizen, and his work demanded a move back to England. She had no friends or family here and went through her fair share of struggles settling into a new country and learning the ropes with 2 young children in tow. Ayesha has been working as a professional interpreter in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi for over 5 years. Her work entails providing invaluable interpreting services for clients who usually speak little to no English, in a myriad of settings from prisons, refugee and detention centres, social services, child protection, safeguarding, and hospital and school appointments to court cases. Possessing the relevant cultural knowledge also enables her to overcome many barriers between clients and service providers.
1. Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
I feel most at home in London which has been my abode for the past 20 years now. My children have had their schooling here and will be graduating this year. In this time, I have made amazing friends, studied to become an interpreter, and grown as an individual.
2. What are your proudest achievements?
One of my proudest achievements was being voted as the student of the year in my high school graduation. I was awarded a gold medal by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. The second one would be achieving distinctions and merits in my diploma in Public Services Interpreting and my children being present with me during the awards ceremony.
3. What inspires you?
Working with asylum seekers and victims of domestic violence. Learning the individual stories of their struggles and their humility and resilience in trying to overcome the incredibly difficult circumstances life has thrown at them while still maintaining their dignity is awe inspiring.
4. What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
I have been blessed not to have any substantial obstacles thus far in my personal or professional life.
5. Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
My mother, my most ardent supporter, and head of my personal cheerleading squad. She has been a core factor in me pursuing a diploma even after 3 children and not giving up on my dreams.
6. What is the best aspect about your current role?
The best aspect would be being a small part of my clients’ journey and sharing their joy when they win their legal battles. Their enormous gratitude towards me for not only being their voice in court, but a source of comfort and reassurance is incredibly humbling and gratifying.
7. And the worst?
The heartbreaks when court decisions do not go as they hope and parents lose children to foster care or adoption, or victims of persecution lose their claim to a dignified life in the U.K
8. What are your long-term goals?
I am hoping to learn British sign language as a natural progression to my career. I would also love to host my own radio show one day!
9. If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
If I ever became the Prime Minister of this country, I would stop demonising and dehumanising honest immigrants and make immigration process more robust and fairer.
10. If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
It would be an honour to be marooned with Mohammed Ali! I can just imagine our conversations about justice and racial equality, challenging the establishment for a more equitable society. He’s one of the most inspirational personalities of this century for me
