AKIRA - Believe You Can Fly

AKIRA Believe You Can Fly

Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

It’s our right@mifriendlycitiesproject-coventry Damayanthi Muthukumaranage

It’s our right@mifriendlycitiesproject-coventry Damayanthi Muthukumaranage

I was a Science teacher and I lived in a village in Syria with my husband and two children. I had a busy life, working and caring for my children.

One day everything started to fall apart. The civil war between the government and the young insurgents had begun and it resulted in heavy casual es in main ci es and villages. People fled their villages and towns to save their lives.

We had to leave our home and everything we owned to seek safety for our children.

Finally, with help of an agent, a few Syrian families, including us managed to enter the Europe. We lived in a refugee camp in Greece for several months. I suggest you say that life was very hard in the refugee camp.

At the end of our journey, we came to the England and se led in Wolverhampton as refugees. Wolverhampton is a great place to live. There are many communi es with different cultures living in harmony as a one. We were made very welcome.

My husband found a job in a petrol sta on, but his salary wasn't enough for the family to live on. I tried to go to work several mes, but my husband wasn't happy. His inten on was to have more children and he was forcing me to be a house-wife. I didn't agree with that idea. Because of this, he o en quarreled with me, and some mes threatened to kill us. His ac ons made us feel helpless. Also, the financial situa on of the house was ge ng worse.

Despite all the suffering, my only goal was to educate my children.

Most of the days, I went to the church of Good Shepherd charity to get food for my children. The volunteers in this charity were so kind and helpful. Many families in need like us were provided with shelter, food and drink, and children with books and toys.

My husband only had few hours to work each week, which caused us many financial difficul es and we couldn't con nue with these hardships. This made my husband very angry and ashamed. Finally, I was able to find work in a clothing store through a friend.

A er a week at the new job, I got paid my first ever salary in England. I was so happy and I wanted buy something special for my children. But this did not happen. That day when I finished my work, my husband came to the workplace and grabbed my wages and threatened to kill me.I was sha ered by his ac on and told my best friend about this terrible act.

A er listening to my situa on, my friend took me and my two children to Hope house Wolverhampton. The Hope group listened to what was happening to me and the children and arranged us a safe place to stay.

With the interven on of Hope Home, the safety of myself and my two children was ensured. A er a while, I have managed to get a divorce under the legal provisions provided by Hope House. I was feeling very bad but the group helped me to be strong.

A er the divorce I registered as a single mother. Also, with the help of the Wolverhampton city of sanctuary, I have managed to get council house in Wolverhampton.

A er few months of savings and the assistance of the Job Center, Wolverhampton, I have managed to start my own clothing business and it became successful within a few months.

Currently, there are four people work for my business. Today, my children are enjoying a good school educa on and I am trying my best to make them be er ci zens. Although my life is very different, I am happy again.