Zada came to Glasgow from Bosnia in 1992. Now, more than 20 years later, Zada helps others who have come to Scotland from troubled parts of the world.
She volunteers at a community centre in Glasgow where she supports others who have fled war, violence and persecution and left their homes far behind.
“When the war started, people who were black or of a different religion were targeted. The soldiers burned houses in our street and killed many people. Every night there was killing. You could not imagine what we witnessed.
I grabbed my two children and left our home. Being a refugee was terrifying as we never knew where it was safe to go, who we would meet or who might try to kill us.
We didn’t have anything, no money, nothing. But we were lucky.
We went to a reception centre in Croatia along with other refugees and later we were all dispersed to British cities that welcomed refugees, including Glasgow. I was told I was going to Glasgow but I didn’t care where I was going. The most important thing for me was that my children were safe.
You can’t imagine how many of my family I lost. But my life is now in Scotland as I feel now that I’m Scottish.”
