Newport Youth Council has an exciting new member who can speak five languages and has even discussed issues concerning the city with the Prince of Wales.

Fatma Nur Aksoy,17, moved to Wales 10 years ago from London and since then has made enormous strides in paving a potential political career for herself.

The proud Kurdish girl who is currently enrolled in an accounting course at Coleg Gwent is a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament for Newport East and is also a member of the Newport Youth Council.

In March Fatma won the Leader of the Future Award at the Nation of Sanctuary awards 2023 ceremony in Cardiff for the work she has done within her community.

Fatma said: “It was amazing and unique for a Kurdish girl to come to Wales. Seeing people with Welsh accents or beginning primary school and learning Welsh in school. Many students were copying my Welsh work during my second week of primary school.

South Wales Argus: Fatma with her Leader of the Future AwardFatma with her Leader of the Future Award (Image: Fatma Nur Askoy)

Fatma with her Leader of the Future Award. Picture: Fatma Nur Askoy

“I am also very interested in immigration since I have been supporting and translating for my families, who are asylum seekers, since I was such a young age.

"I have now expanded my network to assist more Kurdish immigrants from Turkey, Iran, and Iraq by interpreting their paperwork, contacting their GPs, Migrant Help, and solicitors, as well as emailing their MPs to inquire about the status of their asylum application.

“I've also gone to a lot of their appointments when they required me to translate. In order to represent asylum seekers, I joined the young people's board for the home office in London.

South Wales Argus: Fatma with her awardFatma with her award (Image: Fatma Nur Askoy)

Fatma with her award. Picture: Fatma Nur Askoy

“I've looked up to Jessica Morden, the MP for Newport East, during this time, and I aspire to imitate her in the future.

“I recently joined the Newport Youth Council because I wanted to increase my voice and connect with new people in my community. I also wanted to change my community, which I plan to do in the coming months through the Newport Youth Council.”

In November 2022 Fatma met with the Prince of Wales in the Senedd to discuss the problems young people are facing and she is also working to strengthen the problem of mental health and well-being at the Welsh Youth Parliament's mental health and well-being committee.

Fatma said: “I wanted to say how proud I am of myself for being able to attend these things as a Kurdish Welsh girl. I've been really active lately and intend to do even more in the future.

“The hijab I wear on my head, which gives me great authority as a member of an ethnic minority and an advocate for her community, also fills me with great pride.

“Many countries don't even allow girls like me to pursue an education; instead, they marry early and start families when they are still children.

“Yet I am really fortunate to have been born in this country, in this circumstance, with a wonderful family that believes in my ability to be independent and is very proud of me.”