Refugee Voices - Mustafa

Mustafa had faced difficulties since his childhood. He did not grow up with his mother, and he faced the constant difficulties of navigating life in Sudan, where his human rights and religious freedoms weren't respected. Finally, he made the difficult decision to leave behind his father, siblings and wife in order to look for a more secure life for himself. He first moved to Libya, from where he made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, arriving in Italy. He then crossed continental Europe and eventually arrived in the UK in June of 2022.
 
Upon arriving in the UK, he immediately faced the difficulties in adapting to a new environment. The weather was extremely different, but the greatest difficulty he faced was the language barrier; Mustafa had never learnt English in Sudan, and thus navigating the complicated application process to seek asylum was difficult. However, he persevered and was helped immensely by HWR, who he came into contact with at the drop-in centre held in a local church. He attended college and the charity's drop-in sessions to improve his English, and he noted how helpful the charity was in providing spaces for refugees to ask questions without fear of judgement. He now volunteers for the charity, welcoming new refugees and trying to help them in their adjustment to the UK.
 
Despite the many difficulties he faced, Mustafa called the UK the 'greatest community in the world'. He is immensely grateful for the religious freedom and tolerance of human rights that were absent in Sudan, and he praised the way in which organisations, such as HWR, welcomed and accepted refugees regardless of their individual circumstances. He has enjoyed integrating into his community but noted that many refugees aren't as open to doing so, as they don't realise that they can join their communities without judgement and that doing so is the best way to build their lives back up.
 
Although Mustafa sorely misses his family in Sudan, he is determined to make the most of the opportunities that he has been given in the UK. He is currently working as a delivery driver while searching for formal work and is also looking for more opportunities to improve his English. He also wants to attend higher education to learn more about human rights and their application so that he can make better sense of the situation in his home country of Sudan. Coming into his fourth year in the country, Mustafa is hopeful about the future and excited to further establish his life in the UK.