Serving destitute refugees and asylum seekers Report 2017
This is what we do local, compassionate infrastructure A supporting people seeking sanctuary who become destitute A sustainable programme supporting refugees to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives Empowering people seeking sanctuary to contribute to their communities and wider society Encouraging and equipping churches locally and nationally to serve people seeking sanctuary A more just asylum system where no one is left destitute 2
A message from Ros, our chief executive
This year has been a time of change for us at Boaz. Alongside the usual changes in clients, staff and accommodation provision, after 7 years in Ancoats we packed up all our belongings and moved to the Kath Locke Centre in Hulme.
Y
et amongst all the change, our core business remains. Through our shared houses, the wonderful hosts who open up their homes and churches providing hospitality and welcome at the Boaz Night Shelter, we continue to
serve destitute refused asylum seekers and refugees. The environment continues to be challenging, as our waiting lists grow – both with new refugees who find themselves homeless, and those who have been refused asylum and left destitute. Issues within the
asylum process also persist, often to the detriment of our clients. Despite this, there is encouragement to be found throughout this report. The statistics from the year and the stories of David and Victoria offer powerful reminders that there is hope for our clients.
Thank you so much for standing with us and being part of their story. 1
Victoria’s Story Victoria fled to the UK from a country in West Africa, and she told us how her life changed during her time with Boaz:
B
oaz helped me so much; physically, mentally, emotionally. Firstly, I had my own place to sleep. My first day I saw my bedroom, it was like therapy. I had my own address, and my own place and I felt security. I met different people – women like me. It gave me courage to go outside and find activities and different groups. When you stay with friends or if you are homeless, you can’t do these things. Day by day, I felt like I had freedom. Being destitute is not easy but I had no shame to say I was in Boaz and the situation I was in. Boaz helped me build my esteem and not to feel embarrassed of my situation.”
Victoria asked us to change her name.
“ I had my own address, and my own place and I felt security.” 2
21,215
Number of nights of accommodation Boaz has provided
66 Number of men who
have accessed the Boaz Night Shelter this season
Accommodated 68 refused asylum seekers
11
Number of hosts who opened up their homes to our clients
Accommodated 34 refugees
34
34
18
16
Accommodated people from 36 different countries Afghanistan Angola Belarus Burundi Cameroon Chad DRC Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Gambia Guinea Iran Iraq Ivory Coast Kuwait Lebanon Libya
Malawi Niger Nigeria Pakistan Palestine Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Somalia South Africa Sudan Syria Tanzania Togo Trinidad Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
3
David’s Story David travelled to the UK after suffering persecution in his home country, but found himself homeless and seriously ill after arriving. Boaz accommodated and supported David, and helped with his asylum claim.
W
hen I first came to Boaz, I was homeless and hopeless. I wasn’t accepted in my home country or in this foreign country. I was very sick at that time and I was very stressed. Then I found Boaz, and was staying at the Night Shelter. Boaz connected me to a doctor, who said I needed to rest and eat properly.
money for this. Being in a house was great because the kitchen gave me room to prepare the right foods. I was with Boaz for a year and they covered my transport costs, my medical needs, my food, everything.
That is when I moved into the Boaz house. In the house I could rest, and Boaz gave me food and money for transport. That made a big difference. I needed an operation, which the doctor organised for me, and Boaz arranged for a taxi to take me to and from the hospital for this.
Since I got my refugee status, I’ve got going with my life. I’ve been able to think about things when before I couldn’t. At the moment I am at University studying marketing. I am looking forward to completing my education and starting work, hopefully in marketing or sales. I am really delighted. I have a house, I am living.
Because of my health, I can only eat certain types of foods, so Boaz gave me 4
I won’t forget the time and the date I first came to Boaz. I always celebrate that day, every year. My lawyer was shocked at the level of support Boaz gave me, but it was true. I can’t forget it.
Without Boaz, none of this would be happening. I don’t have the words to express my feelings – thank you is not big enough. In the future, if I have chance, I want to help this organisation. They take the most hopeless people, and show them brightness. They show them that there is another way, and that there is another life to live. David asked us to change his name.
“ My lawyer was shocked at the level of support Boaz gave me, but it was true. I can’t forget it.”
4 people were granted Leave
12 people made further
to Remain
submissions or fresh asylum claims
85% of clients attended
56 people attended
1 while in our accommodation, 3 are former clients
wellbeing activities
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Thank you for reading.
Please say hello: The Boaz Trust Kath Locke Centre 123 Moss Lane East Manchester M15 5DD T 0161 202 1056 E info@boaztrust.org.uk
theboaztrust
@boaztrust
www.boaztrust.org.uk Registered charity in England and Wales no. 1110344