Football United Scholar

The first UNSW Football United scholarship recipient 17-year-old Sudanese refugee Teresa Yuol is celebrating as she kicks off her university career. Teresa has begun classes in anthropology and sociology at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), supported by the first scholarship in a pilot program designed to help young people with inadequate resources, minimal formal schooling, and limited family support to access a tertiary education. Teresa's scholarship program began this year with a year-long bridging program, and then Bachelor degree study. Teresa said it was a special feeling to be a Football United member and to be offered the chance of a tertiary education. "I have been part of Football United for the last four years, joining when I was 13. It is great to be offered this opportunity. It was just a few weeks ago that they called me and said that I got the scholarship. I couldn't describe the way I felt at that time. I am looking forward to start at UNSW and achieve my goals by little steps and with the help of Football United and UNSW there is no doubt that I will succeed," Teresa said. Football United founder, Ms Anne-Bunde-Birouste, from UNSW's School of Public Health and Community Medicine, said "Teresa is just one example of what kids will achieve if someone takes the time to support and believe in them. We work hard to promote opportunities that can assist them to overcome the inequities that littered the path of the Football United kids. I am proud to be part of an excellent university that recognizes that there is more than one way to assess an individual's capacity, and supports such an initiative". Teresa also wrote a message, in her own words, to other members of the Football United community. "To football united, fans, players, volunteers and the organisation leaders some of you may not know me but some do for those who don't my name is Teresa Yuol my background is Sudanese and I moves to Australia back in 2003. I been part of Football United® for the last 4 years. I am excited to share some of my great news with you all. It was not long ago when I graduated from high school and now am finding myself in a new lifestyle of university. Football United® founder Anne Bunde-Birouste have work hard with the UNSW to get scholarships to the Football United® participants, special to those who finish year 12. It is a special feeling to be a Football United® member to be offered this opportunity. It was just a few weeks ago went Anne called me and said that I got the scholarship. I couldn't describe the way I felt at that time. I am now about to start at UNSW doing Sociology and Anthropology, but with further future study I'll be studying Public Relations as my career. This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I am not going to waste it. I am looking forward to start at UNSW and achieve my goals by a little step and with the help of Football United® and UNSW there is no doubt that I will succeed. And to those of Football United® kids who may get this opportunity in the future please don't turn it down because opportunities like this come only once in a life time. And put it this way - free scholarship you don't have to pay the government back after your studies - you just have to prove that you were the perfect person for the scholarship and just believe in yourself!"