Rebecca Tama has five children and three grandchildren in Nigeria – for her, obtaining a Masters degree at Lancaster University meant a huge change.

Rebecca graduated with an MA in Gender and Women’s Studies, after 12 months away from her home in Taraba State.

It was a massive adjustment to make the move almost 4,000 miles north, to leave her job working as a lecturer in Sociology at Taraba State Polytechnic – where she became familiar with Gender Studies – and to seize the opportunity to further her education.

But it was a chance worth taking, and back home, her three sons, two daughters and trio of grandchildren – the youngest just one-and-a-half years old – are celebrating her success as she graduated along with her postgraduate fellows.

“Where I work, the government sponsor people to go abroad and study,” said Rebecca. “I seized that as an opportunity for me to come here and study.

“I had never thought of going anywhere to study, but the sponsorship from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund gave me the opportunity. I put in my application and I was taken.”

Rebecca hopes to have the chance to complete further studies, having enjoyed her year at Lancaster so much, though she would also like to return home and work towards introducing Women and Gender Studies at Taraba State University and other higher institutions, as well as to fight for women’s right and equality in every sphere of life in the wider community.

Whatever she chooses, her family are sure to support her, and she said: “With the family, especially the extended family, you always have a lot of things to deal with – there is always one problem or another, people being sick, visiting relatives, and a lot more.

“It wasn’t a hard decision to come, but when I came I did feel bad. Initially, it was hectic, because the environment is completely different compared to life back home. There were times when I would think, ‘wow, what brought me here?’ But with time, I got used to it and I have been really happy here.

“The family have all been really supportive, and they have told me if I can stay to study more I should do that, which is something I would love to do.”

Rebecca added: “I have gained a lot from the course. I used to read about women and feminism, but the course has exposed me to far more ideas about the subject. In Nigeria, there is a gender bias, but we do have the Ministry of Women’s Affairs at Federal and State levels, and I will sell the idea to them – to get them to look at what is happening and to see if we can work with the government for the improvement of women’s development.

“It has been such a helpful year and I have learned a lot of things, and I have made a lot of friends.”