From war to litter-picking - the refugees giving back to Swindon

The Harbour Project, the Swindon organisation that helps asylum seekers and refugees in the town, has started a scheme for its users to take part in community projects. Dana Jaf reports.

It is a very cold morning in February.

Ghandi wears his most beloved jacket, picks up his bag and leaves home.

His name might be reminiscent of the great Indian statesman Mahatma Ghandi but Ghandi, 50 years of age, is from Iraq.

He has run from war and found refuge in Swindon.

Ghandi, who speaks very little English, leaves home everyday to take free English classes at the Harbour Project, an organization which offers a range of services to asylum seekers in Swindon. But today, Ghandi is not going to learn English but is going to take part in a litter pick activity arranged by the Harbour.

“Harbour is like home to me. I have run away from Iraq in fear for my life. I have left everything back there including my small business. I am a total stranger here. But Harbour is my new home,” says Ghandi while wearing the green duty shirt provided by Harbour’s volunteers.

“I am now ready to go and clean Swindon,” says Ghandi.

Ghandi is one of the asylum seekers who are sent to Swindon by the Home Office before they get a final answer on their asylum claim. The Home Office has an announced target period of six months to finalize each asylum case, but cases can often take longer.

At 11am everyday, asylum seekers from around the town go to Harbour to help with English, filling documents or just simply to find some company.

Ghandi is not alone in his feelings about Harbour. The Project has a good reputation amongst asylum seekers and beyond for the support it provides to them.

Harbour supports all of the asylum seekers in Swindon and has an average of 60 visitors per day.

Moses Morris, an asylum seeker from Uganda, is one of the frequent faces at Harbour Project.

“If one does not have the kind of support Harbour offers, it can get very lonely. Harbour is my new home. I have made many friends here from all around the world. They each have their own different stories,” Morris says.

Like Ghandi, Morris was also running a small business in his home country before leaving due to threats on his life. His dream is to start his own business again in the UK.

“I want to start my own business in the fashion industry in the UK. That will be my way of paying back and contributing to the society that has helped me,” Morris says.

Morris and Ghandi were among 80 asylum seekers and volunteers who took part in the litter pick project.

Ensuela Lula was also there. She is a young asylum seeker from Albania who is now temporarily residing in Swindon with her mother. She says she is happy that she is safe in the UK and can’t ask for more but her dream is to continue her studies. She is now taking classes part time at Swindon’s New College.

“I am here to live and be protected. But I have found more than that. Harbour has become my family now. I talk to them about all my problems and they are extremely helpful. Anytime I have a problem in my life, I go and talk to Nan or one of the staff,” Lula says.

Nan is the Harbour Project manager. She comes from an immigrant background herself. But times have changed and so has the attitude towards refugees and asylum seekers, she says.

“Curry is a big dish in this country now,” jokes Nan, “Things have changed for the better. From my experience, when I was younger, things have changed considerably. Initially, when people started coming to this country, there was an initial fear. But as people settled and educated here, there is a lot more integration and understanding now,” she says.

Nan says that their main role is to help asylum seekers integrate into Swindon life. She counts the many services that Harbour offers from English classes to a hot meal once a week to the Steps2Work program that helps asylum seekers with gaining employment skills.

“What we provide here is based on what people tell us they need. We teach English and Math, different levels. We have a football project and we offer counselling sessions and we have free shop on Fridays where people bring donations and asylum seekers can take what they need,” Nan said.

Nan says that many Swindonians want to volunteer with Harbour.

“We have been very lucky, we have about 85 volunteers now and it is increasing.” she said.

It was Kristin , one of these 85 volunteers, who came up with the litter pick initiative idea.

Kristin who lives just outside Swindon was part of Amnesty International’s PR team before leaving to start her own freelance work to support humanitarian causes at the local level. She says she found in Harbour the kind of local organization with tangible benefit to the community that she was looking for. She came up with the idea of a shared activity between the asylum seekers and the community as a way to create stronger bonds between them.

“Many people in the town may have heard about Harbour but they do not see them. So it was important to do this and come out with this positive project. It was so heartwarming to see members of the community and residents in that area taking part in the initiative and picking litter alongside the asylum seekers,” she said.

Kristin, who started volunteering with the Harbour Project a few months ago, urges everyone to support Harbour in whichever way they can.

“The great thing about volunteering at Harbour is that there are many ways to do it,” she said.  “There are ladies from the local mosque, for example, who volunteer by making new carpet for asylum seekers’ homes. Sometimes sitting down and having a cup of coffee with a visitor is all there is. Also, people can support Harbour through donations,” she said.

After an hour of picking litter, Ghandi puts down the green duty shirt and puts his special jacket back on. “I am in love with this,” Ghandi points to his jacket. “This has saved my life twice. During my escape from Iraq I faced lots of hardship and I was wearing this jacket when I returned from death twice. I will always keep this with me.”

Ghandi will be wearing his lucky jacket and going to his English classes at Harbour every day. He, like hundreds of asylum seekers in Swindon, are looking for some cheerful news.

“This jacket saved my life twice, I hope it gives me a new life here as well,” said Ghandi smiling.

You can donate to Harbour via https://harbourproject.charitycheckout.co.uk/Donate#!/

Watch Harbour’s latest donations appeal: https://en-gb.facebook.com/TheHarbourProject/videos/756560088085354/