106 - Helping an asylum seeker pay phone bill and buy warm clothes for winter - Dec 2022
One of our members sent us a nomination telling us about a 68-year-old asylum seeker who was moved to Sheffield from another UK city by Migrant Help following eviction, and needed some help. This lovely lady, who we will call Deborah, came into the country with family in 2013 hoping for a better life following a lifetime of abuse in her native country. However, since being in the UK she has encountered many challenges including family breakdown which resulted in her having to find alternate accommodation in a country she knew little about with no other means of support. She went on to find work for herself as she was keen to contribute, although sadly went on to be exploited by her employer which left her unable to pay her rent. Prior to eviction, Deborah was living in what she described as a safe and secure community where she had forged friendships and regularly attended local groups. She received support from a mental health charity and was engaging with Local Area Coordination w