Kaziwa Kadir, Candidate for VP Welfare

Spreading Care, One Spot at a Time 🐞.

 

Hi, I’m Kaziwa Kadir, a Third year Politics and International Relations student at Queen Mary University of London. 

University life is exciting, but it can also be a lot. It can feel overwhelming, lonely, and sometimes financially heavy in ways people don’t always see.

Welfare isn’t just something we talk about when things go wrong. It’s the quiet support that helps you keep going when things feel tough. It’s knowing you’re not alone. It’s having someone who listens. It’s feeling safe enough to ask for help and strong enough to keep growing.

I’m running because I believe every student deserves more than just getting through university. You deserve to feel supported, understood, and empowered every single day, not only in moments of crisis, but in the small, everyday moments that shape your experience.

University should challenge you, but it should also care for you. And I want to help build a community where that care is real, visible, and accessible to everyone.

Fun fact:  Ladybugs are my favourite insect. That’s why my campaign is about spreading care one spot at a time 🐞. 

  

Who I Represent 

Queen Mary students are incredibly diverse. I want to represent: 

• Commuter students balancing travel, work, and study 

• Middle Eastern, Asian, Arab, Latin, African, Arab and ethnic minority communities 

• Women and marginalised students who do not feel heard or empowered 

• International students navigating new systems 

• Students who feel unheard or overlooked 

• Anyone who has ever struggled in silence 

Welfare must be inclusive, culturally aware, and accessible to everyone — not just those who already know how the system works. 

  

My Key Priorities 

1.  Mental Health That Delivers 

Support should be accessible, timely, and preventative. I will: 

• Push for reduced waiting times and more flexible counselling options 

• Expand peer-led wellbeing initiatives 

• Improve visibility of support so no one struggles in silence 

Mental health support should not feel reactive — it should feel reliable. 

  

2.  Housing and Cost of Living 

London is expensive. Students should not feel powerless. 

I will: 

• Strengthen support for students facing housing insecurity 

• Lobby for clearer renting guidance and stronger protections 

• Work with local councils and community partners to improve student safety 

Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure where they live. 

  

3. Equality and Inclusion 

Welfare must work for everyone. 

I will: 

• Tackle barriers preventing marginalised students from accessing support 

• Champion culturally competent welfare services 

• Ensure minority voices are present in decision-making spaces 

Support should reflect the diversity of Queen Mary. 

  

4. Fairness in Finance and Academic Support 

When things go wrong, the system should support you — not overwhelm you. 

I will: 

• Campaign for transparent and compassionate hardship funding 

• Improve awareness and accessibility of academic mitigation 

• Ensure processes are clearly communicated and easy to navigate 

No student should feel lost in bureaucracy during difficult times. 

 

5. Representation That Takes Action 

Your concerns belong in decision-making rooms. 

I will: 

• Represent students to the university and relevant stakeholders 

• Act on Student Council policy 

• Keep welfare a strategic priority at every level 

Representation must lead to results. 

  

Why I’m Standing 

I’m standing because I’ve seen how many students struggle quietly — whether with housing, finances, mental health, or feeling like they don’t belong. Welfare is not just a service, it is the foundation of student success. 

I want to make sure care is proactive, inclusive, and visible. I want every student to know that support exists — and that someone is fighting to improve it. 

  

What Makes Me Different 

I combine advocacy experience, peer mentoring, and political awareness with genuine empathy and approachability. 

My campaign is simple: 

Spreading care one spot at a time 🐞. Vote Kaziwa Kadir for VP Welfare.