Aleksanra Lesiak Onpartu Cohort: 2015 Mentor: Liz Kilford Education: Masters in Environmental Protection Before Onpartu... In her native Poland, Aleksandra worked as a laboratory contractor until the 2008 financial crisis left her unemployed. Despite her three university degrees all she could find for months was work as a supermarket cashier. “Totally disappointed”, she left for the UK. The first few months on the island were very difficult for Aleksandra. She survived thanks