“I felt stuck between two worlds – the professionals and my community. Neither of which understood me, and neither of which understood Zak.”

When her oldest son Zak was diagnosed with autism, Nura Aabe had not heard of autism, a condition that has no word to describe it in the Somali language.

Despite the challenges of stigma and social exclusion, Nura decided to change her social network and educate herself and those around her, so that she could help her son lead an independent life.

Since launching community organisation Autism Independence, Nura has worked tirelessly to challenge and change the often negative and misleading perceptions of autism, pioneering a powerful mix of theatre, education and research, and writing a book about her experiences. Her dedication and passion for autism inspired her to go back to further education completing a degree in early childhood studies and Masters in Education of Psychology registering her with the British Psychology Society at the University of Bristol.