Farid* arrived to the UK as an unaccompanied minor from Yemen. He was granted refugee status and with the support of a solicitor he applied for family reunion with his mother and three siblings. The family reunion visas were granted ‘outside of the rules’ as it can be extremely difficult to bring over to the UK siblings and parents when one has refugee status.
Finally, with the help of GMIAU, the family was reunited in Manchester at the end of last year with travel provided by Together Now and Miles4Migrants.
Amal, Farid’s mother, gives the following account of the family’s story:
My children and I travelled from Yemen, escaping a war that destroyed everything in my country. [We] were also searching for Farid, who had escaped before [he was] forced to join the army at a very young age.
Upon arrival to Manchester, I felt that I was born again in a place where there’s no war and no killing. Seeing my son after three years and after I had lost hope of ever seeing him again, was indescribable.
Now I will start a new life – life full of hope, looking at a brighter future for my children.
I would like to thank everyone who helped me through all of my journey – thank you so much.
(*)Their names and some identifying details have been changed.
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