Laachir understands better than anyone what it means, as a member of a minority, to find your way in a system that is not designed with you in mind. Because of his impairment – he can see only two per cent of what a person without a visual impairment sees – Laachir has had to overcome many obstacles: 'I fought my way from special education to senior general secondary education (havo), pre-university education (vwo) and university.' Not because he struggled with the subject matter, but because he constantly experienced how poorly the education system is set up for people with a visual impairment. 'I just wanted to be able to follow the standard explanations in class. And the fact that this was not understood or acknowledged was incredibly frustrating.'

Supporting other minorities 

All these obstacles have in fact motivated Laachir to devote himself to other minorities who, in his words, 'are disadvantaged by the system to some extent – so that they do not have to face the same challenges.' He wanted to explore this further. The minor in Cultural Anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London appealed to him greatly: 'I wanted to gain a better understanding of the struggles faced by other communities.'

'But for me, something like that was unaffordable,'he explains. 'London is, of course, already expensive enough, but in my case there would be additional costs, such as specialised taxis and personal assistance.' His study adviser referred him to the UvA Fund and together they submitted an application for a travel grant to make his dream a reality. 

A unique experience

Looking back now, Laachir describes it as a unique experience. During the minor, he acquired the academic skills he needs to help other minorities flourish in a society that can sometimes be inaccessible. He is extremely grateful for the travel grant he received from the UvA Fund. 'Without the Fund, I really would not have been able to do this. I think it is very good that the UvA Fund supports initiatives like this. It is important that more underrepresented students have the opportunity to go on an exchange, to gain experience and to bring that knowledge back with them.'