The National Emergencies Trust has provided £5,850 of match funding
Everybody deserves a safe place to call home
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
The Passage works with anyone arriving in the UK who has nowhere to turn. We make sure they aren't forgotten.
We help people to find accommodation, get access to public funds, support people through the immigration process, and give advice on getting back into employment.
This is how our project has helped Andrew.
Andrew was a primary school teacher in Zimbabwe until 23 years ago when he came to the UK because his association with the anti-apartheid movement was putting him in danger.
Once he arrived in London, he was able to work for a short while teaching English as a foreign language. He was very happy with his new life, until he ran into problems with immigration. That’s when Andrew lost his job and then his home.
When he came to The Passage Andrew had nothing, his status meant that he had no access to benefits, which also meant it was impossible for him to find a home. He was appointed an experienced case worker, Helen, our Migrant Development Coordinator, and she would make sure Andrew had all the essentials he needed: food, bus fare, phone credit, clothes.
Andrew was receiving support from our Immigration Solicitor through the long and complex process to gain settled status so that he could get access to benefits, find sustainable accommodation, and get back to work. Then the pandemic hit.
During the first lockdown, Helen moved Andrew into a hotel in Kensington under the government’s ‘Everyone In’ campaign in which The Passage played a key role to ensure anyone facing homelessness had a hotel room to keep them safe and off the streets. She would visit him to make sure he had food and check in on his mental health and wellbeing. Andrew said that this was a significant moment for him; he felt supported by Helen, had a roof over his head, and even though we were in a pandemic, positive things started to happen.
Fast forward to today and Andrew has now won his case for settled status. Even after 23 years of applying he never gave up, and neither did The Passage. Now he’s working in construction where he’s taken several exams to gain qualifications and has been awarded student of the year. He also has a permanent place to call home. In his own words Andrew says, “I’ve come so far. I’ve started to look ahead, to smell the goodness of life”.
There are many people like Andrew arriving in the UK because their home country is no longer safe for them. Their journey to a secure and happy life here can be complex and challenging. Your donations will help The Passage to support more people like Andrew who have nowhere else to turn.
This project successfully funded on 29th March 2022