SOMETHING WAS PUSHING ME ON

Jackie Rankin talks to student mental health social worker Doreen Hengari about fleeing her home country and her incredible resilience in the face of adversity.

In 2016 Doreen and her little girl packed their bags and left their beloved home because of violence. “My daughter was ten when we left. We had to do it, but I had no idea where life was going to take us. We lived with a friend and then in a hostel for months, while waiting to hear from the Home Office. A letter came to say someone would be coming to take us to our dispersal accommodation. We packed, left and drove for hours without knowing where we were going.”

The family’s new home was Wrexham, North Wales. Doreen recalls a warm welcome, but a sense of displacement. “I joined a church and the International Christian Fellowship of Wrexham who welcomed me with open hearts. I realised how much a friendly face can mean. But there was a sense that your life is being planned out by someone else.“ With a vision to become a social worker she volunteered and felt lucky to find an access course. Yet as an asylum seeker she wasn’t entitled to university funding. “When plans were being discussed in class I’d stay silent. I was ashamed of my situation.” She was delighted to discover the Sanctuary grant from University of Chester, only to be told it wasn’t available for social work students. ”I was heartbroken, but a week later they decided to open the grant to those who want to study social work. I immediately applied and was awarded the grant. It was the best news ever!” It meant very early starts and a three hour round trip to the campus in Warrington. But her daughter was settled in school and Doreen was happy. Then came a bombshell. She was recovering from major surgery when she heard her father had passed away in Namibia. In the same week the Home Office refused her asylum application. She had to withdraw from her course.

She was despondent, but Doreen’s resilience shone through once more. ”At first I thought ‘I should just go back home’, but there was something pushing me to carry on and fight.” Her appeal was a torturous process, but she had unstinting support of fellow students, who launched a campaign for her to stay, and friends who went with her to court.

After two weeks of uncertainty the news came through that Doreen had won her case. She returned to her studies, working hard to catch up. She’s since won two awards from the University. But the challenges continued. Refugee status meant she had to find new accommodation. ”We moved into a hotel with just a suitcase. Everything else went into storage until a house became available. It was tough, but my goal – to be a social worker – kept me going.” She found her vocation, working with homeless people, first at Liverpool’s Whitechapel Centre then on placement with Mersey Care’s Homelessness Outreach Team. During the Covid pandemic Doreen was determined to carry on working. In the citation for her citizenship award her tutor said it was an ‘extremely brave decision which had tangible effects in terms of ongoing service provision’. Now living in Liverpool, Doreen’s planning for the next part of her extraordinary journey. Her experience has left her able to truly empathise with those she supports. “There are so many reasons why people end up where they are today. They’ve faced and still are facing so many challenges. I’m so excited and looking forward to being able to make a difference.“