Refugee Action Kingston

Please see poster above for details

Thank  you for your support!

Alireza fled Iran after being persecuted for his religious beliefs. He had been practising Christianity in secret as part of a small group, but one day a number of the members were suddenly arrested by the police. He feared that someone had betrayed them and struggled to deal with the trauma that this caused. After arriving in the UK last year, his fears and memories followed him, causing him to have nightmares and lose sleep.

When Refugee Action Kingston offered him counselling, he was initially suspicious. He found it difficult to believe that anyone would be willing to help him altruistically, and worried that anything he shared would be used against him. Slowly, he opened up to one of our counsellors. During this time, he revealed that he was struggling with guilt over the fact that his father, still in Iran, was dying. He found it difficult to come to terms with the fact that although he was forced to leave, he inadvertently left his family behind.

One year on, he is actively involved in our projects, taking part in our English lessons and our activities in the park. He is still living in a local hotel and to help keep him comfortable, we have provided him with clothes and shoes, having left his country with no more than the clothes on his back. He continues to attend counselling remotely, feeling more comfortable with this than our in-person sessions. Going forward, we really hope that he is able to overcome his trauma and begin to feel settled in the local area.

Do you have phones, tablets or laptops taking up space and gathering dust in your cupboard?

We are always receiving requests for electronics, so much so that we aren't always able to respond to the demand.

Send us a message to arrange a drop off and we will find a new home for your pre-loved items!