Imagine, a Refugee Week production by families who attend Asha’s weekly Saturday clubs (World Refugee Day 20 June 2020)

Determined not to leave Mums and children in limbo during lockdown, Asha swiftly decided to maintain contact by phone, text, and WhatsApp. Besides regular weekly calls, children are sent a story read by a member of staff and an uplifting song.  One song was Imagine, the theme of this year’s Refugee Week.  Adults and children were invited to create a drawing, painting or poem imagining a world beyond Covid-19. The result was a power-point presentation which was then produced as a film with music and sent to all Asha families on World Refugee Day.

To alleviate loneliness and isolation, apprehension and fear, Asha’s staff remain available to all asylum seekers in the City, for practical help and emotional support and as a conduit to Refugee Action. In addition, on Mondays’ families can request a home delivery service of food and on Thursdays’ callers can collect food laid out under a gazebo on the car park!

This week all our families will receive a carefully curated tablet, with a variety of programmes to engage the interest of children, facilitate online learning and, we hope,  help their parents to feel less like the odd-ones out, deprived of access to the technology which is fast becoming a necessity.

Asha could not do this alone.  What is being achieved would be impossible without the ongoing support of our donors and volunteers to whom we owe a Big thank you.