In this interview, campaigner Maisson Hassan who joined Women for Refugee Women (WRW) as Campaigns Assistant back in April 2025, talks through what drove her to become a campaigner and her journey through the Campaign Carousel this year.
What has been your route into campaigning?
I am a Sudanese woman who grew up under the dictatorship of Omar Al-Bashir, witnessing corruption, injustice, and systemic discrimination against women. This shaped me into an activist and advocate for human rights and women’s rights, speaking out despite the dangers.
When war broke out in Sudan in 2023, I fled to the UK seeking protection. I found a hostile environment toward refugees and asylum seekers and spent over a year and a half in limbo—banned from work and facing deep uncertainty. During this time, I connected with Women for Refugee Women (WRW) and joined their campaigns to advocate for the rights of women seeking sanctuary, including ending detention and lift the ban on the right to work.
I have always been an activist, campaigner, and human rights defender. After receiving my refugee status, I became WRW’s Campaign Assistant. Campaigning for women’s and human rights is not just my profession—it is my lifelong mission.
What campaign or campaigns are you currently working on?
WRW campaigns to end the detention of women seeking asylum, end the use of hotel accommodation and ensure safe and dignified housing, secure fair and fast asylum decisions, and lift the ban on their right to work.
On another level, I am actively campaigning with Sudanese groups in the UK to Stop the War, and to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan.
Why did you decide to sign up to the Campaign Carousel?
While I was a member of WRW, I joined their Introduction to Campaigning course, which gave me a strong foundation in UK campaigning. After becoming a Campaign Assistant, my line manager—who had completed the Campaign Carousel a few years earlier—recommended it to me. I registered, selected courses carefully, and found that the training deepened my knowledge, sharpened my skills, and opened my eyes to new information and tools for more effective campaigning.
What did you get out of the training?Â
The Campaign Carousel training gave me both practical tools and deeper insights into effective campaigning. It also introduced me to new approaches and networks I hadn’t considered before. Most importantly, it equipped me with knowledge I could immediately apply in my role, helping me campaign more effectively for the rights of refugee and asylum-seeking women.
Have you had a chance to embed any of the learning into your /campaigning work? If so, can you give an example?
Yes. All the courses I chose were directly relevant to my role, allowing me to immediately apply this knowledge in my work.
What’s the most notable difference in your approach to campaigning since taking part in the Carousel?
The most notable difference in my approach to campaigning since taking part in the Campaign Carousel is that it solidified my existing knowledge through experience and practice, while also making me more aware of the specific context of campaigning in the UK. The breakout rooms during the sessions gave me valuable opportunities to network with campaigners from diverse backgrounds, listen to their experiences, and learn from their approaches. This combination of reinforced knowledge, new insights, and peer learning has made my campaigning more informed, strategic, and connected.
What words would you use to sum up riding the Carousel overall?
I would sum up riding the Campaign Carousel as empowering, insightful, and practical. It built strengthened my skills, and enhanced my existing knowledge.
Why do you think other campaigners should join the Carousel?
The carousel is both useful and informative. Every campaigner can gain fresh insights from the campaign capsules, leaving them better informed, inspired, and ready to approach their campaigns with renewed confidence.