image captionJohn Cassensa fled war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to come to Norwich as a teenager and went on to become a mental health nurse Louise Parry Role, BBC News, Norfolk
4 hours ago
A mental health nurse who fled war as a teenager says she will “never forget the kindness and support” she received from the British and African communities.
He was just 16 when he and a friend arrived at a refugee camp in Zambia, where they witnessed “people suffering from the trauma of war and their mental health.”
These experiences eventually led him to train as a mental health nurse.
He said he entered this career “out of a deep-rooted passion for supporting people on their path to health.”
“Thoughtful care”
At a refugee camp run by the United Nations, Kasena experienced the kindness of strangers who accepted her.
“They became my family,” he said, adding that he felt “the transformative impact of compassionate care” on his own mental health.
He said there are a lot of suicides in the camp and people are trying to support each other as best they can.
He was granted asylum in the UK in 2007 and came to Norwich aged 22.
“It was January, and all I remember is that it was very cold,” Kasena said. Kasena was fluent in French and Swahili, but he did not speak English at the time.
He was given a place to stay, shared with another refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and was assigned a caseworker and mentor.
Mr. Casena volunteered at the Lunch Club and was involved in his local church and football club.
“I will never forget the kindness and support I received. It helped me get back on my feet and find hope and purpose in life.
“I learned the importance of having a strong support network,” he said.
He started working at the Post Office, but while volunteering as a British Red Cross paramedic at a football match, someone suggested a career in the medical field.
Image source, Jamie Niblock/BBC
image captionMr Kasena became interested in mental health nursing after attending a training session at Norwich's Hellesdon Hospital
Mr Kasena's interest in mental health began during his training at Norwich's Hellesdon Hospital, which led to him working at Norwich Clinic (now Northside House).
“I started recognizing some of the symptoms of trauma that I saw at the camp,” he said.
“I wanted to help more and realized how valuable my own experiences of trauma and the compassion and kindness that supported my recovery could be.”
She joined NSFT in 2013 as a clinical support worker and has now been promoted to ward manager.
“I enjoy looking at each person as an individual and exploring what works best for them. Is it the talk? Is it the medication? Then I work with them to find the right path to recovery. I’ll find a way,” he said.
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