56 vulnerable refugees from war-torn Syria have found a new life in Falkirk over the past five years after being resettled locally.
The Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement scheme has helped a total of 30 children and 26 adults locate in the area.
Part of the community
Adults have found a variety of opportunities with some in both full-time and part-time work. Others are attending college, taking part in training and volunteering in the local community.
For the children, six are in high school while 15 attend primary school and three children attend nursery.
Three individuals created a digital story, one of which was screened at an event at the Bo’ness Hippodrome in August 2019 as part of The People’s Story project in Scotland.
One individual has participated in the creation of a Community Garden with his neighbours at Telford Square, where he grows fruit and vegetables.
Lifeline
Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said: “The scheme has been a lifeline for refugees who are escaping from some of the worst fighting in the world.
“All our communities across the area have been welcoming and we hope that this warm spirit of friendliness and compassion continues.
“We look forward to continuing to support a further 15 refugees shortly and see them make a meaningful contribution in our communities."
Resettlement
The resettlement scheme, funded entirely by the UK Government and administered by Falkirk Council, was set up in December 2015. Across Scotland, a commitment was made to resettle 2,000 refugees over five years.
A team of two officers support the resettlement programme, Michelle Scott and Mary Wardlaw.
Now that the scheme is coming to a conclusion, it is being replaced with a global scheme based on United Nations criteria. This will see an expected further 15 refugees resettled in the Falkirk in 2021.
Welcomed with 'open hearts'
Ms Ahlam Al Swaidani fled Syria with her four children in 2016. When the civil war in Syria started, her home, her community faced oppression by the military and checkpoints appeared across the country with security forces stooping and often detaining anyone they chose.
More than 115,000 civilians have died in the Syrian conflict, with around 5m people fleeing the country
Ahlam’s brother aged 16 was detained– he is now 24 and remains in detention for no reason or justification. For more than a year, her three year old son went mute, shocked and terrified by the sound of the shelling in her town.
Ahlam was also a victim of domestic abuse and violence aimed at both her and her children when she relocated to Lebanon. As part of the resettlement scheme she applied to come to the UK.
"God-send"
Ahlam explained her thoughts in a letter to Falkirk Council: “The moment my children and I touched British soil, was very definitive in our lives.
“Arriving to a foreign country as vulnerable as we were, with nothing in common that we share with people of this nation: no language, no culture, nothing we thought.
“We really needed a miracle to survive. A God-send. Michelle Scott – you were our God-send. Our guardian angel. You and your incredible team of good Samaritans of Falkirk Council were my family’s saviours.
“You reminded us of the humans we were, and that none of our differences mattered because we shared what was most important: being humans. For that and much more, we are forever grateful. Thank you Britain, for opening your borders to us.
Ahlam Al Swaidani fled war and violence with her children
“Thank you Scotland, for being our ‘home’. Thank you Falkirk, for welcoming us with open hearts before open arms.
“Thank you Michelle and the team, for being our backbone of support, our shoulders, our guidance, our ‘light of hope’.
“Thank you Central Scotland Racial Equality Council, for all the opportunities, the understanding, and the support throughout our journey so far.
“Thank you to each and every single fellow human, who poured their pure love, acceptance, friendship, and goodness, for nothing in return.
“Ladies and gentlemen: My story has not ended. My story, has just begun.”
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