Friendship offers lifeline

Looking to the future (from left to right): Sazan Hassan and Zubeiga Abrahams, with Liz White and befriending co-ordinator Gloria Ho from ARKH

Sazan Hassan (above) says time spent at ARKH helped her improve her English

Helping refugees to adapt to new city life

When Zubeiga Abrahams fled her native South Africa to Hull she had no idea what the future might hold.
It was a journey that took her thousands of miles away from her family to a city where she knew no one at all; she was alone in the true sense of the word.
"Life in South Africa was not safe for me and I came to England for a new start," says the 20-year-old.
"It was very hard when I first arrived. I was lonely and spent too much time thinking about the past and the people I had left behind."
But Zubeiga's life changed when she walked through the doors of Asylum Seekers and Refugees Kingston Upon Hull (ARKH), in Albion Street.
The centre runs a befriending service for newcomers to the city. She was befriended by Sazan Hassan, who is originally from Iraq.
"It was good to meet Sazan, because it meant I finally had someone to talk to," says Zubeiga. "We go out for a coffee, look around the city, and I'm hoping to visit museums and the cinema soon."
Sazan arrived in Hull in April 2006 and spoke no English. But now she is fluent after finding people to speak to and learn with at ARKH.
"Zubeiga and I meet as often as we can," says Sazan. "Sometimes it may be three or four times a week."

"It's never too late to start"

Liz White is a retired head teacher from Andrew Marvell School and a serving magistrate in the city who was looking for something new to do in her spare time when she came upon the work of ARKH.
Liz is now befriending a woman from Turkey and teaching English to a class of asylum seekers and refugees at the centre.
"It's about being welcoming to people who are new to the city," adds Liz. "I'm 65 years old, so you can never be too old to volunteer."
The centre is supported by Hull City Council. It assists refugees from nations near and far. To date, ARKH's befrienders have helped 16 refugees from different countries.
ARKH is looking for people (male and female) to become befrienders, and for more asylum seekers and refugees to be referred to the centre by other agencies.
Please call Gloria Ho at ARKH on 214178.