Today is World Refugee Day.
As the theme this year is ‘hope away from home’, we wanted to share a story of hope, not homelessness in the face of despair.
There are currently 35 million refugees across the world. People with hopes, dreams and stories. People like Mobarak.
Watch Mobarak’s story in his own words >>>
Alone, homeless and traumatised
Mobarak was forced from his home in Sudan after fleeing war. Completely alone at 14 years old, he then fled from neighbouring Libya to Malta where her undertook back-breaking labour to pay for his journey to Calais. Hope was the only thing keeping him going.
After making the perilous journey across the channel in a plastic boat, Mobarak found Oasis Community Housing’s No.3 project in Southwark. Within two weeks of being in London he was learning to read and write in English.
Mobarak was paired with a mentor who introduced him to other young people across the service who had been through similar life experiences to him.
Use of a sim card, provided by Vodafone Charities Connected programme, has meant he has been able to contact the British Red Cross who are now supporting him to contact his parents back in Sudan.
Even in the darkness Mobarak found hope.