Welcome to UOL Humanitarian Society!
Are you passionate about tackling societal issues? Do you want to contribute to making a change within the world?
We are a society formed to tackle and raise awareness for humanitarian causes, whether it is within the Leicester community, across the UK, or beyond.
About us:
As a society we aim to help tackle various humanitarian crises and support a wide range of social justice movements. If you have a cause that you are passionate about tackling or supporting then our society is the perfect environment for you as we offer a community that can help you carry out projects such as fundraisers, talks, or community events. We have previously hosted fundraisers for various charities and humanitarian issues, collaborative interactive events with charities that educate and raise awareness, volunteering events
.
Topics we have discussed and tackled so far (either through events such as fundraisers and talks or in our newsletter) include:
- Homelessness Crisis
- Mental Health Awareness
- Caste System in India
- Period Poverty and Gender-Based Violence
- Neocolonialism in the DRC
- Palestinian Genocide
- Demilitarisation of UoL's Investments
- Asylum Seekers
- Support for Leicester UCU Strikes
We have fundraised for:
- Freedom4Girls
- Medical Aid for Palestine
- Blood Cancer UK
- Conversations over Borders
- Help the Homeless Leicester
- YMCA
- Migrant Help
- International Rescue Committee
- Yafa Foundation
- Leicester University and College Union
- Congo Children Trust
- SolidariTee
- Palestinian Children's Relief Fund
We aim to tackle more every year with the contribution of our committee and members!
Who is this society for:
Everyone!
We truly believe just about anyone can gain something from being a member of our society. Not only will you be able to give back to the community and contribute to the greater good of society, but you'll also have access to a variety of opportunities that will boost your CV and provide you with strong employability skills.
For students enrolled in humanities degree programs (and others with an interest in humanitarian and global affairs) , our society provides the amazing opportunity to work on our monthly newsletter. This extra-curricular experience is an exciting way to boost career prospects and your academic profile, as well as work on something you're passionate about.
To enquire about this, send us an email (su-humanitarian@leicester.ac.uk) or DM us on Instagram (@humanitariansociety.uol).
Newsletter:
Our newsletter is self-published and has won awards from SPA Journalism. It tackles a diverse range of humanitarian issues and political topics, contains information about upcoming events, and exclusive interviews with guest speakers. If you are a writer with an interest in writing about social injustice, political events, activism, etc. then you are offered the opportunity to write for our newsletter and get your work published!
Check out our previous issues here:
1. Mental Health Matters (23/24)
> Content includes: articles about mental health, abuse, disability, interviews with a human trafficking survivor and her ex-therapist, interview with a gay conversion camp survivor, and more.
2. Harmony and Turmoil (23/24)
> Content includes: Cloud seeding in Pakistan, Importance of literacy in the face of the rampant amount of fake news and propaganda from oppressors, What are charities doing to help the largest humanitarian crises in the world? (touches on the DRC, Afghanistan, Sudan), Rivalling the legality of relocating asylum seekers to Rwanda, problems with the UK's disability art support system in comparison to the Australian support system, and so much more. Check out this diverese issue to grasp the versatility of our society.
3. Women of the World (24/25)
> Content: Sexual misconduct within schools (including interview with a survivor), Scapegoating: The penalisation of minorities in today's society: A Psycho-Political perspective, The burden of shame in the South Asian community, heartwrenching personal poetry, and much more.
How can I get involved?
Free Interest List - Access updates through our main Whatsapp groupchat regarding upcoming events and attend freely :)
Standard Annual Membership (£3) - Join our exclusive group chat where you can share your ideas, vote in monthly polls, help set up events if you’re interested, and enjoy 50% off bake sale treats all year!
Committee Members (2025/2026):
- Co-President - Nadia Bassinder
- Co-President - Tahmina Sayfi
- Co-President & Newsletter Officer - Gyan Goonetilleke
- Wellbeing and Inclusion - Yue Chen (nc361@student.le.ac.uk)
- Treasurer - Samira Valera
Contact:
Follow us on Instagram @humanitariansoc.uol for updates and information.
Any suggestions or enquiries, feel free to leave us a DM on Instagram or email us at su-humanitarian@leicester.ac.uk.