In this blog Naomi talks candidly to me about her experiences. She shares her struggle to survive since her claim for asylum has been refused – she has been forced into a life of uncertainty with no home, no money and no right to work.
Naomi is 50 and she lives in Glasgow. She is from Zimbabwe and was forced to flee when she found herself on the wrong side of the Mugabe regime. She sought asylum in the UK but her case was refused. So was her appeal, despite a Supreme Court decision judgment earlier this summer, which said that anyone opposing the Mugabe regime was not safe if they were returned.
She is on anti-depressants but they don’t make her feel much better about life. Since her appeal was refused she has been destitute – her support was stopped; she is homeless and not entitled to emergency accommodation such as a hostel bed.
It’s hard – it’s terrible
Sometime people from her church are able to put her up for a few nights. Other nights, she sleeps on a floor mat in a sleeping bag in a temporary night shelter in a church hall in the West End of the city.
“It’s hard,” she tells me quietly: “When I am on my period they don’t have showers there or any sanitary products and I have no money to buy any.
“Sometimes I’m able to borrow money from friends. But I don’t like doing that. The feeling of begging for everything is terrible.”
Life in limbo
During the day, she volunteers in charity shops – cleaning the floors, stacking the shelves. When the shop closes, she walks the streets with her bags, waiting to see where she might be able to sleep that night.
She eats at drop-in centres that give away free food. She knows she has to be careful with it. Meals are eked out over the week. But often she goes hungry.
Put an end to a law forcing people into destitution
The aim of the UK Government’s policy of making refused asylum seekers destitute is to force them to return to their countries of origin. But it’s not working; Naomi cannot contemplate returning to a country where her life will be at risk.
That’s why we have – along with Refugee Survival Trust – launched our Stop Refugee Destitution in Scotland campaign. It’s simple – we don’t want your money, we just want your support to help us change the law.
For women like Naomi who shouldn’t have to live like this. Sign our online petition and help us change the law to ensure refused asylum seekers get support until they are granted protection or are able to go home safely.
