In October, Ladiba Said Nafe, an international student in Methodist University’s Nursing Program, was asked to speak to the UN about the ongoing conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the Western Sahara territory.

“I was invited by Western Sahara’s representative in the UN,” Said Nafe shared in a press release. “He happens to know that I’m studying at Methodist University and knows I’m very passionate about the case back home. I had to make a quick decision on whether to speak, and I’m glad I did.”

Said Nafe’s plea to remove Western Sahara from the United Nations’ list of non-self-governing territories was heard by hundreds of officials inside the UN Headquarters.

“I simply asked UN officials to call the people at the refugee camps to know about our situation,” said Said Nafe in a press release. “But afterwards, the chair of the UN meeting said he was impressed with my strong words and the passion I brought forward.”

Although Said Nafe claims Western Sahara as her home country, she’s actually never been there. Her people have been living in Algerian refugee camps for nearly half a century due to political conflicts. 

Growing up in the refugee camps, Said Nafe eventually earned a scholarship to the United World College’s International Baccalaureate program in Norway – a two-year educational program primarily for teenage international students. Said Nafe worked hard to not only pass her classes, but also to learn English so she could attend a college or university in the United States.

“When I passed the program, I decided to apply to Methodist University,” shared Said Nafe in a press release. “Not only did MU offer great scholarships for international students, but I heard a lot of good things about the University from other international students.”

Said Nafe is on track to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. But in the midst of a demanding program like Nursing, Said Nafe is finding ways to prove herself outside of the classroom. After graduating in May, Nafe plans to gain experience as a nurse. But eventually, she hopes to give back to her people back home.