10 Questions for Dashni Morad
Dashni is a refugee who fled war in Kurdistan, became a pop star in Europe with her own TV show and has now settled in the UK. She has set up her own charity to help children in refugee camps, and she has become an environmental activist. Her debut UK sin
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT LIVING IN THE UK?
It’s just like that movie Notting Hill. I’ll find a book in a secondhand shop, enjoy a conversation with cab drivers who are always very kind and honest, and then I’ll visit countless art galleries. It’s pure magic.
AND THE WORST THING?
The weather. I never know what it wants. It is moody and grumpy.
HOW ABOUT THE FOOD?
The food is so good that it is harming my pocket and my diet. I’ve found the best biryani (sorry mom!)
HOW ARE THE REFUGEE CAMPS NOW?
They’ve changed. The children are much more aggressive. They throw rocks and it’s difficult to get them to go to class. I’m told it’s because they grew up with ISIS on their streets.
DO YOU FEEL DEFLATED WHEN VISITING?
No. When we started giving out books and toys in class these unruly kids changed and became children again. It hurts to see someone take away the inner child from a person.
HOW DO YOU AVOID ACCUSATIONS OF SELF-PUBLICITY?
Well I’m a refugee child myself. One of my earliest memories is of being in the mountains and running behind helicopters trying to catch food just to survive. I was only five years old. So I’ve been in their situation. They know that.
WERE YOUR PARENTS STRONG?
My dad walked to Europe from Iraqi Kurdistan. He swam seven times from Turkey to Greece, and that’s why I feel obliged to lend a helping hand. I was given a home in Holland when I was 11, so it’s my job to give something back.
DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT AS A WOMAN?
Because I am a woman who was brought up in the Middle East I have always felt like a second-class citizen, that I am not an equal to a man. I’ve always felt limited, but it means I fight for my rights.
DO YOU HAVE HOPE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST?
Yes. We might have a future, a safe tomorrow, but only if we invest in children and
women. We need good schools and good teacher
YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO LIVE. HOW DO YOU SPEND THE TIME?
I’d have a day at the park with my family, playing football with my little brother, enjoying my dad’s barbecue, and reading a light romance. Then I’d look up to enjoy the sun shining through the trees, and the rustling of the leaves.