A homeless man has been awarded a scholarship to attend Ravensbourne College in Greenwich Peninsula.
Sam Adesanya was living in a YMCA hostel in North London having previously lived with his family until his relationship with his father broke down.
The scholarship will allow him to attend Ravensbourne to study for an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Creative and Digital Media.
Mr Adesanya said: “This is a dream come true for me. This is what I really want to do.
“I hope winning this scholarship will enable me to go forward and work towards a career in photography or something else creative.”
The scholarship is part funded by Accumul8, a social enterprise that uses creativity to try and empower people who are homeless.
Mr Adesanya attended Accumul8 for three years and went to photography workshops where he was mentored by Ravensbourne students.
He was in the process of applying for funding when he learned he had won the scholarship.
Marice Cumber, Work Based Learning Coordinator at Ravensbourne and Accumul8 founder said: “I wanted to think of a way I could combine what I do at work with my passion for helping people.
“The Accumul8 scheme gives hostel residents an opportunity to improve their confidence, communication and empathy skills as well as their general wellbeing.
“It gives them a lifeline, a focus and encourages them to develop aspirations for the future.
“It’s also extremely beneficial to our students who learn how to teach and relate to others from different backgrounds.”
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