The Refugee Journalism Project (RJP) was set up in 2016 in London to support migrant, refugee and exiled journalists kick start their careers in the UK. Its idea is to create a network for its participants and hook them up with mentor journalists. The initiative is coming to the end of its second year and is about to start recruiting for a third intake, project director Vivienne Francis explains.
An Iranian migrant who fell into the water while trying to reach England has been declared missing presumed drowned. It could be the first recorded case of a migrant death while attempting to cross this dangerous sea, where several people have already disappeared, according to survivors and activists.
British and French campaigners are warning about the dangers of migrant Channel crossings after an Iranian woman who reportedly fell into the water while trying to reach England went missing last Saturday. It could be the first case of a migrant death in the Channel, a relatively narrow strait with strong currents. But according to testimonies of survivors and community activists, several people have already disappeared.
Mahbuba Jebin has been involved in politics since she was a student in Bangladesh. She was a member of the student wing of the current ruling party, the Awami League. For years she lived a life of privilege and power. However, her decision to marry a member of the opposition BNP party put her at odds with many in her own party. A campaign of intimidation started which led her to flee the country she loves and seek asylum in the UK. Despite all the difficulties, she continues to write every day.
Zozan Yasar is a Kurdish journalist from Turkey. Denied access to education, Zozan taught herself to read and write and went to university to get a degree before working as a journalist. As a Kurd, she struggled to officially register her Kurdish name with the government in Turkey. After arrests and harassment, she was eventually forced to seek asylum in the UK.
At FoodCycle, groups of volunteers cook donated food, which would otherwise have been thrown away, for communities in need around the UK. One of their projects in London is run at the Happy Baby Community for migrant and refugee women and their children. One of the volunteer project leaders is Pepe Clavijo, a Venezuelan migrant who wants to give something back to the community.
The charity Migrateful was set up two years ago to help refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants in the UK teach cooking classes in a bid to help them on their journey to integration. It currently operates in London and Kent and is about to launch in Bristol.
In 2008, Ahmed was shot while working as a paramedic in Lebanon during an internal conflict between Shia and Sunni. He arrived in the UK three years ago after a second shooting made him fear for his life. He has been seeking asylum ever since. While his case is still pending, he can’t work and is destitute. Last September he started teaching Lebanese cooking classes with ‘Migrateful’ and the charity has become ‘like a family’ to him.
Migrants working illegally on British soil are vulnerable to abuse by unscrupulous employers, but they could also face prison terms of up to 6 months. Over the past three years, enforcement has intensified and employers are encouraged to report undocumented migrants.
A migrant attempting to swim from France to Britain has been rescued in the English Channel. He was found in a state of "mild hypothermia," according to the French coast guard.
Ernest Zhanaev is from Kyrgyzstan. He has a long career behind him, first as a banker, then as a human rights defender. Now he wants to make it as a journalist in the UK where he holds refugee status.
With more than 70 million displaced people worldwide, working out how to provide them with shelter is a huge challenge. Designing a place that could become their home for decades is even harder, especially when there is little political will.