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Sat 22nd Nov 2008
	02:00	The Generous Gene
	02:30	Profits for the People
	03:00	Cash That Cares
	03:20	Lions Are Green
	03:30	New Consumer TV

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Case Study: Justine Tusabe

"I used to see myself as the most unfortunate person in the world. When I started volunteering at the Royal Free it helped me a lot. It gave me confidence and self-esteem."

Justine Tusabe volunteers at the Royal Free Hospital and was awarded a medal by the Year of the Volunteer in recognition of her service to the local community. Justine's own story is truly inspirational. She managed to escape the war in her native Uganda and came to England in 1999 as a refugee - a single parent, with no friends or family. Her son Christian, now six, was born with multiple disabilities and is severely disabled.

"The Royal Free became my local hospital and I spent a lot of time here with Christian. When he was five, he went to special needs school. I couldn't get paid work as I can't find a job to fit in with his hours, so I applied to be a volunteer. I loved the Royal Free and I wanted to say thank you for doing so much for my son, and also to pick myself up. Before I started here, I would take my son to school, go home, do the housework, then go back to bed. I'd start thinking about my own problems. You need to start somewhere and I had to gain some confidence and communicate with people."

Justine Tusabe

"I volunteer every morning, Monday to Friday. It keeps my brain and my mind active and it has given me confidence and self-esteem. You learn so much about different cultures - all the volunteers come from different backgrounds, some are from my own country. I've made so many friends. When I come here, I see other people with so many problems; I just grew to accept my own situation. I do everything - I help out in the shop, on the wards, in the playroom. I was the first volunteer on the post-natal ward and have trained many others. I like being on the move. When Diane (Goldman, the Royal Free's voluntary services manager) says I should take some time off, I tell her I don't want to be at home, I'd rather be volunteering!"

Last Updated ( Thursday, 07 December 2006 )