Same degree ... different career

Same degree...

When I was a student, I really liked it whenever a lecturer talked about their own research. Now that I’m the lecturer, I’m noticing that I enjoy talking most about subjects I’ve thought about a lot and that I’m very passionate about. Because of my interest in forensic psychiatry, I took a minor on it in Utrecht while I was doing my Bachelor’s of Law in Tilburg. This enabled me to enrol for the Master’s in Criminology in Utrecht while also doing a Master’s in Criminal Law in Tilburg.

My thesis led to a research proposal that got me a PhD position. I was then able to delve more into forensic psychiatry and also focus on another theme important to me: inequalities in the criminal justice chain. After my PhD, I worked outside the university briefly but missed the academic freedom I had there. So, I then became a university lecturer, first in Utrecht and now in Tilburg. When I was a student, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do after graduating. I’m glad I opted for academia.

...different career

The word ‘KLABU’ means club in Swahili and our ambition is to become the biggest club in the world. Refugees can borrow sports equipment, televisions, music and wifi from our clubhouses in refugee camps. The local community itself is in charge. Sport represents real power for them. After being a lawyer, my father worked for UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. His work has always really inspired me. We lived in all kinds of countries and I gained a lot from his work. An internship I did at a refugee camp made me feel even more committed to my fellow humans.
 

So, the common thread in my studies was ‘justice’. I joined the legal profession after graduating. After enjoying this for 4.5 years, the idea for KLABU came up. In refugee camps, there’s often a lack of everything needed to play sports, including sports equipment. Our idea was to design a kit with the community itself. The rest of the world can take part by wearing the kit or, as a company, sponsoring a clubhouse. When we wear the KLABU shirt, we all look the same. This includes everyone in the refugee camps too, they see others wearing the kit via social media. It gives them hope and perspective

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