Real Lives

Every year we work with hundreds of people who are forced to flee their own countries and seek safety in Scotland. Get to know some of them, understand their experiences and hear their stories - in their own words.

Please contact us if you are a refugee or asylum seeker and want to tell your story. You can also contribute to our blog.

  • Berthe Patricia Nganga Patricia's story "It’s so frustrating; as an asylum seeker you’re not allowed to work, you’re not allowed to do full-time courses... it can make you crazy." Read this story
  • JosephSisay Joseph's story 'I was totally in shock. I’d come here for protection and then I was left totally on my own. I was on the streets for about a week.' Read this story
  • Anna Ana's Story “The stress I’m under is terrible. Back home, before I had to flee, I had a good life. I’ve had to move from that good life, gone through torture, detention, and prison. I’m scared all the time, I don’t sleep.” Read this story
  • Wencai Qu c.Angela Catlin Wencai's story "I fled China with three other people, and it took me six months to get to the UK through Russia. It was a tough journey." Read this story
  • Shah Mohammad c.Angela Catlin Shah's story "Our problem was related to land, and there was violence - afterwards just me, my brother and my sister were alive. That’s why I came here." Read this story
  • Silence Chihuri c.Angela Catlin Silence's story Silence Chihuri is a Zimbabwean refugee. As a key founding figure in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), his life would be in grave danger were he to return to Zimbabwe. Read this story
  • John John's Story At first I missed my homeland but I think I’m OK. Now I watch the news from over there and things are quite violent. Read this story
  • Chenzira web Chenzira’s Story “It was a difficult and frustrating journey – to move from one country to another without knowing where I was going, without knowing where to get help. I just took a chance. It’s better to take a chance than wait until they come and kill you." Read this story
  • Daniel web Daniel's Story “My father was in a political party that was in opposition to the government. They wanted to kill him, so he ran away. The government forces came to our flat to find him – they set the house on fire, arrested my mum, me and my older brother." Read this story
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