Menu

Posts by Nisha Wilkinson

Nisha Wilkinson holds a PhD in War Studies and has worked on international conflict and security for over fifteen years. She is interested in human behavior driving violence and insecurity, and advocates for socio-economic diversity of voices in state institutions.

Growing Up Without a Family: From Survival Mode to Thriving

By

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ~C. S. Lewis

I started life in a poor household with one parent who left when I was very little, never to be seen or heard from again, and another who stuck around but made it very clear I wasn’t wanted and I had ruined their life by existing.

For some reason, I never had any contact from either of their parents, my grandparents, and very little to no contact from their wider families.

So, as a young child, I knew …