Helping Hands: Our Stories, Part Two

Our Stories

The Comfrey Project has been a part of my life since 2017 when I moved to the UK to seek asylum. Being a refugee means arriving in a new country with no friends and family around to support you. After being granted asylum, in July of 2020, I made the decision to move to Manchester due to the lack of job opportunities available here in Gateshead. My hope was to start a better life for my family and I. However I encountered the reversed. It was a very difficult time for my family and I as we went through a period of time without housing.

Applying for a school for my children was a big challenge. I have a daughter in year 10 preparing for her GSCE exams and a son in year 6 preparing for SAT exams. After two months of submitting their school applications I had not heard anything from Manchester Council and I was told that they were likely to stay back for sometime due to the volume of applications during the pandemic period. By mid-October my children were still not enrolled in school.

I made a call to their previous school in Gateshead explaining what I was going through and they told me that there were still spaces available there. This made me take the decision of moving back here. At this time during the pandemic my family and I were homeless. My children had already missed out on several weeks of lessons. I made many calls to my friends for help on somewhere to stay until I could get a place of my own. Luckily, one of my friends agreed to accommodate us for one month.

The support that I got from The Comfrey Project morally, materially and emotionally has been a huge help for me and my family. I gained many new friends and a new family with a very strong bond. When I moved back up to Gateshead I put a call through to The Comfrey Project and I was welcomed back with open arms. They supported my kids with lots of gifts during Christmas time and food vouchers. I cannot imagine my life during my trying times without God and The Comfrey Project.

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Jije Eni ti on wa asala fun ara e laini ore ati ebi legbe, COMFREY PROJECT je okan gbogi ninu aye mi. Lati odun 2017 ti mo ti dara po mo egbe yi ironlowo ti mo ri gba ninu egbe yi oje ohun manigbagbe fun emi ati ebimi, moni anfani lati ri ore bi ebi ninu egbe no pelu ajosepo to don moron.

Ninu osu Kejo odun 2020 mo se ipinu lati ko lo si ilu Manchester nitori airi ise dedeni agbegbe yi, erongba mi ni lati ri igbe aye iderun fun emi ati awon omo mi sugbon koribe.

Adanwo akoko ti modojuko ni ati ri ilewe fun awon omo mi, leyin osu meji ti moti Bere aye ilewe mope council Manchester lati Mon ohun ton sele wonje koyemi pe ose se ki awon omo mi joko osu bi meta lai lo si ilewe, alayi bami lokon je nitori aye ti awon omo mi wa je aye ti won ko gbodo ye ile iwe rara, moni obirin ton gbaradi fun idonwo GCSE ati okunrin ton gbaradi fun idonwo ati wo ilewe Gramah.

Ni osu kewa odun 2020 mope ilewe awon omo mi ti won lo tele won je koyemi pe aye won si wa ti won o bari ilew iwe ni Manchester. Eyi lo mu mi pinu lati padasi Gateshead.

Mope ore mi Kan to gba lati gba wa sile fun osu kan, ni akoko yen moti di alainile Lori pelu awon omo mi, mo sin foju sita lati wa ile pelu, mo pe comfrey project lati salaye ohun ti Mon dojuko nigbana.

Comfrey project si gbami towo tese pelu opolopo iranlowo fun awon omo mi ni odun keresi to koja pelu opolopo ohun isere ati apo iwe ohun je fun gbogbo ebi.

Mi o lero ohun ti oju mi iba ri laisi olohun ati egbe comfrey project lasiko idojuko mi.

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The Helping Hands campaign was organised by a group of Comfrey volunteers who wished to share glimpses of stories that inspired them during the past year. Stories that highlight challenges, hopes and dreams unique to refugees, and others which are shared amongst humans regardless of background. A crowd-funding campaign has been created alongside this effort, in order to raise funds for The Comfrey Project to help us repair our polytunnel at the Windmill Hills garden and raise security on the site. 

Click HERE to donate to Helping Hands.