Asma Haidari

4th-year student, Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery)

As a midwife, she can work with women and families during one of the most exciting and significant periods of their lives, says Asma Haidari who is currently completing her Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery).

“Raising awareness and sharing information with people about women’s health has always been a  passion of mine. I believe that pregnancy and childbirth are normal life events and all women should feel safe and empowered during this experience. As a midwife, I’ll walk alongside women and their families on this journey; helping them make informed decisions about their body and childbirth.

“I’ve really enjoyed the hands-on experience and the clinical placements this degree offers. It’s a beautiful experience to be a part of the excitement of the parents to be as the birth approaches, and support them during the birth process and the parenting afterwards.”

She would highly recommend midwifery to those who are passionate about women’s health and who want to make a difference in the quality of care women and their families receive in these special moments of their lives.

“As much as birth is a beautiful physiological process, complications can arise which can create stressful situations. Therefore, being calm and handling stressful situations is a good skill to have. My career vision is to one day be able to provide amazing midwifery care to women in my community, especially those from a refugee background and those who aren’t aware of the maternity care they can receive throughout childbirth. I want to advocate for these women to receive the optimal healthcare.”

Choosing AUT
For Asma, deciding to come to AUT for her studies was easy.

“AUT is a well-recognised university both nationally and internationally. It’s the only university to provide a bachelor’s degree qualification in midwifery in Auckland, and I love the friendly and inclusive environment AUT provides. Their midwifery programme offers good opportunities to get to know your classmates and connect with them.”

She is grateful for being awarded a Sir Robert Jones Refugee Daughters Scholarship to support her studies, says Asma whose family is from Afghanistan and arrived in New Zealand when she was 14.

“I’m grateful to the amazing support I’ve received from the Sir Robert Jones Refugee Daughters Scholarship throughout my degree. This scholarship created a foundation and has motivated me to work harder in order to achieve my education and career goals.”

Advice for other students
Now in the final year of her degree, Asma has some great advice for other students who are only at the start of their university journey.

“The advice I’d give to other students is to stay strong and believe in yourself. Never compare yourself with your colleagues since everyone has their own journey and past experiences to guide them. It’s totally normal to have doubts and rethink your decisions at times, but take some time off and remind yourself of why you chose this path to begin with.

“Trust me; you will gain the knowledge and experience to become a capable and caring midwife at the end.”