Dure, Pakistan/Northern Ireland

My name is Dure Najaf. I’m 37 years old, and I’m from Karachi, Pakistan. I used to be a doctor in my home country. I left Pakistan in 2008. I left home with my 2 ½ year old son at the time; he’s nine now. I’ve been in Northern Ireland for more a year now, I moved here after getting married to a person who was born here in Northern Ireland. After more than one and a half years, I’m still looking for a job, so I’m basically at home, just searching for jobs.

The object I brought today is a pair of shoes. These are the shoes – they’re entirely handmade, and they’re made in the northern region of Pakistan. People take pride in their craft and workmanship. These shoes are very important to me, because I bought them a couple of days before I left home. I’ve never – I haven’t even worn them since I came here. They remind me of home.