Papa’s Legacy: My Path into Care

This week, Milestones Trust is hosting its very own Cultural Awareness Week. As part of this, we are encouraging people across the Trust to share stories of their background and upbringing, to strengthen team bonds, encourage the sharing of ideas, and elevate all voices.

Uchenna (or Jennifer) is a support worker with the Trust, and has kindly allowed us to share her wonderful journey into care story, which starts with her grandfather back in Nigeria. Without further ado, here is her story…

“During my BSc years in Nigeria, I had the special opportunity to care for my grandfather, whom we fondly called ‘Papa’. Those moments remain some of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I remember how he would often call me on the phone in our dialect and say, “Nne, bịa sie m nri,” meaning, “My daughter, come and cook for me.” Other times, he would lovingly ask, “Nne, ị na-abịa ịhụ m na ngwụcha izu a?” meaning, “My daughter, are you coming to see me this weekend?”

Whenever I had a free weekend, I would take a bus to the village just to be with him. I cooked, cleaned, ran errands, organised his medication for the week, became his gossip partner, massaged his feet, and even composed text messages to his children using his Nokia 3310. His smiles, his blessings, and the deep satisfaction in his eyes were all I needed. Nothing else mattered.

Sadly, Papa passed away shortly after I graduated from university. At the time, I believed I had given my fair share of care and thought that chapter of my life had closed. However, everything changed when I arrived at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom to pursue my Master’s degree in Accounting at Swansea University.

With six years of experience working in accounting for one of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria, I was determined to continue in that career path. During my time at Swansea, my friends would often say, “Jennifer, apply for a care job.” My response was always a firm “No.” I wanted a corporate career. I attended interviews with accounting firms, but the responses were discouraging: “You are overqualified,” “We will get back to you,” and, the most disheartening of all, “Unfortunately…”

Eventually, I told myself there was no harm in trying something different. I applied for a care job and, soon, I landed my first interview. During the interview, I was asked a simple question: “Do you have any experience in care?” I was not prepared for how deeply that question would affect me. In that moment, all I could see was Papa’s face on my laptop screen, smiling at me. I found myself sharing my experience of caring for him.

I watched as the interviewer picked up a tissue and gently wiped a tear from her eye. Before the interview ended, she said, “Congratulations on your first care job in the UK.” I sighed with relief and said quietly to myself, “At last, a fortunate message.”

That moment marked the beginning of my journey as a carer, support worker, and healthcare assistant, both within the NHS and private organisations. Today, I have five years of experience in this field and can confidently say it has been worth it every single day.

Every moment matters. The smile I once saw on Papa’s face, I now see in the faces of every individual I support. No two days are ever the same. I have learned, unlearned, and continue to learn. Providing person-centred care has become my guiding principle. I have come to understand that every behaviour is a form of communication, that no one should ever be looked down upon, and, most importantly, the value of understanding models like the Milestones Behaviour Model – something I know my manager would smile about.

Thank you, Milestones Trust, for keeping my years counting.”