PETER (37)FROM SUDAN

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FROM THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

ROSE (32)

Around 10,000 refugees a year come to our advice services, all over the country. A quarter of them are young people under the age of 26, and 2000 of them are homeless without any means of survival.

EQUAL every step of the wayWhen Rose arrived in the UK, seeking sanctuary after escaping violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she didn’t know what claiming asylum was. She didn’t know what help she was entitled to, she didn’t understand that she wasn’t able to work, and she hadn’t even heard of the word ‘asylum seeker’, ... but Refugee Action was there, to give her support on how to get legal advice, how to find somewhere to stay and how to start the journey of settling into life in the UK.

That journey can last months and sometimes years but Refugee Action works in partnership with Rose and refugees like her every step of the way. Once granted refugee status, people have a short period in which to find private accommodation and work or apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance. With help from fantastic volunteers we’re able to help refugees overcome barriers with the English language, to re-qualify in their profession, find suitable accommodation and become independent and empowered once more.

Rose was invited to talk to Tony Benn about her experiences.

SARDAR (37)FROM IRAQ

“It was a difficult choice but Refugee Action helped me to make the decision that was right for me. They were there to guide me through every step of the journey.”

FREE to make the choiceSome asylum seekers and those who’ve been refused asylum feel that they would like to return home, particularly when a conflict in their country has come to an end and often to see family that they have been separated from for years. In these cases, Refugee Action is able to offer impartial advice about how people can make the decision that’s right for them.

A Refugee Action case worker can talk through any concerns around things like accessing medical care and getting children into school, as well as integrating back into society by finding a job or setting up a business. They are also there to help with travel arrangements. All of this means that refugees are able to make this choice with dignity.

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The following three projects are thanks entirely to generous charitable trusts and people just like you. It means that Refugee Action is able to go that extra mile and provide specialist help to some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in the UK.

UNAFRAID to face her futurePrecious (38) fled Zimbabwe after she and her family were tortured by government backed militia for supporting the opposition party. She applied for asylum, but was refused because the Home Office didn’t believe her story. She was made homeless, but fearing for her life, she was too scared to return to Zimbabwe. Penniless and desperate, she was forced to work long hours as a domestic servant in return for minimal food and a mattress to sleep on.

Refugee Action has set up a house as part of its Fresh Start Project, for people like Precious. A sanctuary, where women know they have a roof over their heads, their own bedroom and money to buy food each week. There’s also a dedicated advice worker to talk to. The space, safety and time that’s created here means that the women are empowered to think seriously about their future so that destitution or exploitation are no longer the only options for them.

PRECIOUS (38)FROM ZIMBABWE

“I lost both my parents on the same day. They were killed in an attack by a local militia group. My life in Iraq was so dangerous; there were bomb explosions everywhere and death was always at the back of my mind.”

GIVING children their lives backA quarter of refugees who we see are under 26 years old and many are children who are here without parents. After his parents died, a family friend paid for Hakim to escape Iraq in the back of a lorry. Once he arrived in the UK, he became part of Refugee Action’s Get Connected project – a unique opportunity where children are able to forget about their problems and have fun for a few hours by taking part in activities like white-water rafting and trips to the cinema.

One to one support with advice workers also means that these young people have a greater understanding of what is happening with their asylum case and how they can plan for the future.

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HAKIM (17)FROM IRAQ

MIMI (36)FROM ETHIOPIA

“Sometimes, I think I am a new person. I’ve made new friends and I’ve started to be involved in fun things again. For once, no one has judged me.”

ENCOURAGEDto live life to the full The upheaval and the considerable

emotional stress that refugees have gone through in their lives, is bound to take its toll on mental health and wellbeing. Mimi, from Ethiopia, tried to take her own life because she felt she had nothing to live for. She became part of our Wellbeing project, where men and women take part in free group activities like cycling, arts and craft sessions and drama workshops. This is alongside 1-2-1 support with trained volunteers to improve mental and physical wellbeing.

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“We had never seen a heater or a boiler, my children had never even sat on a sofa. Refugee Action has helped me adapt to daily life, now I’m hoping to retrain as a teacher.”

EMPOWEREDto build a new lifePearl and her family escaped to Thailand

from Burma because as part of the Karen people, they were persecuted by the authorities. ‘I was working as a teacher, and we had to flee the country. I could hear the sound of gunfire. We never thought this would happen to us. Once in Thailand, we were given bamboo sticks and sheets to sleep under, and diarrhoea and malaria were rife’. As part of our Gateway programme run jointly with the United National Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Pearl and her children were able to be re-settled in the UK.

‘We arrived in Bolton and were met by our Refugee Action resettlement worker. I was very anxious, but she showed us our flat and how everything worked. It was very quiet but very beautiful. In the first week Refugee Action showed us where the shops were, how to get a bus and how to pay our bills. My resettlement worker did so much for me but also encouraged me to do things for myself’.

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