From January to October 2013, 595 children, women and men arrived at our office to seek help to claim sanctuary in Scotland. This blog tells you why they need your help
Blog by Kirsty White, Trust and Supporters Officer
She had to leave Iran because her life was under threat, and she had paid an agent everything she had and found herself in his hands.
Khadija* had no idea where she would end up.
“I had to change lorry three times – it was confusing, stressful, frightening. Finally after 25 days, I was dropped off on a motorway and told to keep walking until I found someone that could help. I still had no idea where I was. It was raining and I was dressed for summer,” Khadija tells.
She was picked up by the police and had to spend a night in the station, because there was no interpreter available.
At that point Khadija had hardly eaten anything for ten days. She felt weak and had stomach cramps.
“In the morning the interpreter arrived and I found out I was in the UK. I was taken to the Scottish Refugee Council, where they were kind, and arranged to get me something to eat in a little room with a sofa where I could put my head down. I was still really distressed and couldn’t stop crying,” she tells.
One in 600
Unfortunately, stories like Khadija’s are common. Between January and October 2013, 595 children, women and men arrived independently at our office to seek help to claim sanctuary in Scotland. 194 were children. Our Head of Asylum Services, Flutura Shala, describes that they “are usually hungry, cold, frightened and tired from the journey; in need of immediate assistance and support”. They came from 31 different countries such as Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Eritrea, and Afghanistan. 5 per cent of new arrivals disclosed that they were victims of domestic and sexual violence, trafficking or torture. More than 10 percent of new arrivals were pregnant women.
Asylum seekers are not entitled to statutory support until they have made their asylum claim and support can take days to start. In the meantime they are destitute – without any means of support.
On average we need £150 per week to support these individuals and their families. These payments are for immediate, basic needs: food, clothing such as shoes or a winter coat, hygiene packs and expenses for local travel.
Currently, we have no funding for these payments. These payments are described by one senior caseworker as ‘a lifeline’. One Scottish Refugee Council caseworker describes that although recognizing that clients are often extremely vulnerable and have had prolonged time without food: “Now, we don’t ask ‘are you hungry?’ because we don’t have the funds to give”.
Please donate to provide children, women and men seeking asylum in Scotland, relief from destitution this winter.
Every penny of your donation will go directly to destitute clients.
Please donate in one of the following ways
- By text message. Text RFGE34 followed by the amount you wish to donate to 70070
- Give a safe and secure donation online via our website: www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/donate
- Please consider making a regular monthly payment using internet banking:
Bank Name:Bank of Scotland
Account Name: Scottish Refugee Council Ltd
Account Number: 06000870
Sort Code: 80-02-24
- By cheque made payable to Scottish Refugee Council and sent to 5 Cadogan Square (170 Blythswood Court), Glasgow G2 7PH, marked on the back as “Refugee Assistance Appeal”.
*Khadija’s name has been changed to protect her identity
