A refugee's story | Migration: a human story

Summary

Born in Ethiopia, the speaker recounts a childhood marred by violence and oppression, leading to their family's escape and life in a Kenyan refugee camp. Amidst scarcity and harsh conditions, they learned resilience and the value of life. After years, they were fortunate to resettle in the UK, where they received support and began anew. The speaker aspires to help their community and shares a message of hope for fellow refugees, emphasizing the importance of patience and perseverance.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Born in Ethiopia, the speaker's family left due to oppression and violence against the Oromo people.
• 🔒 The speaker's father was imprisoned and bears physical scars, now disabled, and the mother also has scars from imprisonment.
• 🏕️ Grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya for 15 years, experiencing harsh living conditions with limited resources.
• 🌱 Despite difficulties, the refugee camp life taught patience, understanding, and the value of life.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The camp was a diverse community with people from different countries and backgrounds.
• 🏥 Health issues like malaria were common, causing extended absences from school.
• 🗣️ The resettlement process was lengthy and involved interviews and orientation about life in the UK.
• ✈️ The family was fortunate to get resettlement in the UK, a process that can take decades for some.
• 🏡 Upon arrival in the UK, they were supported by refugee action staff and caseworkers who helped them adjust.
• 💼 The speaker aims to settle permanently in the UK for a better life for their children and possibly represent their people.
• 💔 Mental health is a significant concern for refugees, with many suffering in silence.

Q & A

Where was the speaker born and why did they leave Ethiopia?

The speaker was born in Ethiopia. They left Ethiopia due to a lot of killing and oppression against their ethnic group, the Oromo.

What was the speaker's father's experience with imprisonment?

The speaker's father was imprisoned and bears many scars on his body from the experience, which has left him disabled.

How did growing up in a refugee camp in Kenya shape the speaker's life?

Growing up in a refugee camp taught the speaker patience, understanding, and the value of life. It also exposed them to a diverse community with different experiences and languages.

What were the living conditions like in the refugee camp?

The living conditions in the refugee camp were harsh, with scarce water, limited food, poor housing, and unspeakable health conditions.

How did the speaker and their family end up in the UK?

The speaker's family was fortunate to receive a resettlement opportunity, which after a long process that included medical and orientation checks, led to their arrival in the UK.

What support did the speaker receive upon arrival in the UK?

Upon arrival, the speaker was met by refugee action staff and caseworkers who helped them with registration, understanding how to shop, and settling into their new life.

Why does the speaker want to settle permanently in the UK?

The speaker wants to settle permanently in the UK because they believe their children will have a better life there.

What is the speaker's current occupation and future aspirations?

The speaker currently works as an interpreter and aspires to possibly represent their people once they obtain further qualifications.

What message does the speaker want to convey to others in the refugee camp?

The speaker wants to convey a message of hope to others in the refugee camp, emphasizing the importance of holding on and being patient.

How does the speaker reflect on the mental health of refugees?

The speaker acknowledges that the mental health of refugees is often at risk, with many people 'dying inside' due to the trauma they've experienced.

What are the lasting impacts of the speaker's childhood on their current life?

The memories of the speaker's childhood in the refugee camp still stick with them, even as they and their siblings are gradually getting used to life in the UK.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Escaping Conflict and Seeking Refuge

The narrator recounts their birth in Ethiopia and the subsequent escape from the country due to widespread violence and oppression against the Oromo people. Despite their parents' lack of political involvement, the father was imprisoned and bears physical scars, now disabled, while the mother also carries scars from imprisonment. The family's decision to leave Ethiopia led to a life in a refugee camp in Kenya for 15 years, where the narrator grew up amidst scarcity and harsh conditions but also learned the values of patience, understanding, and the appreciation of life. The family eventually received a resettlement opportunity to the UK, a process that involved extensive interviews and preparation, including medical and orientation processes facilitated by the UK embassy.

Keywords

💡Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country in the Horn of Africa, known for its rich history and diverse cultures. In the video, the speaker's family is from Ethiopia, and they had to leave due to the violence and oppression they faced. The mention of Ethiopia sets the stage for understanding the speaker's background and the reasons for their family's displacement.

💡Oromo

The Oromo are an ethnic group in Ethiopia, often facing political and social marginalization. The speaker identifies their family as Oromo, which provides context for the oppression they experienced. The term 'Oromo' is crucial for understanding the cultural and political struggles that led to the family's decision to leave Ethiopia.

💡Imprisonment

Imprisonment refers to the act of confining someone in a prison. In the video, the speaker's parents were imprisoned, which resulted in physical scars and disabilities. This keyword illustrates the severity of the persecution the family faced and the personal toll it took on them.

💡Refugee camp

A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to shelter people who have been forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, or natural disaster. The speaker grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya, which highlights the challenging conditions they endured for 15 years. The refugee camp is central to the narrative, as it shaped the speaker's childhood experiences and values.

💡Scarcity

Scarcity refers to the insufficient supply of resources, such as water and food. The video describes the refugee camp's harsh conditions, including scarce water and limited food. This keyword emphasizes the daily struggles and the resilience required to survive in such an environment.

💡Malaria

Malaria is a life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes, common in tropical and subtropical regions. The speaker mentions missing school for weeks due to malaria, which underscores the health challenges faced in the refugee camp and the impact on education and daily life.

💡Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the act of pardoning or ceasing to hold a grudge against someone. The video mentions learning forgiveness as part of growing up in the camp. This keyword reflects the emotional and psychological journey of the speaker and the community, learning to let go of past traumas.

💡Resettlement

Resettlement is the process of moving refugees to a new country where they can live in safety and rebuild their lives. The video describes the family's resettlement opportunity in the UK, which represents a significant turning point in their lives, offering hope and a chance for a better future.

💡Interpreter

An interpreter is a person who translates spoken or signed languages. The speaker mentions working as an interpreter, which not only provides a means of employment but also allows them to help others navigate the complexities of a new culture and language. This keyword highlights the speaker's role in bridging cultural and linguistic gaps.

💡Mental health

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The video touches on the mental health challenges faced by refugees, with many 'dying inside' despite appearing okay. This keyword is crucial for understanding the internal struggles and the need for support and understanding in the refugee community.

💡Hope

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. The video concludes with a message of hope for those still in the refugee camp, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and patience. This keyword encapsulates the overall message of resilience and the possibility of a better life.

Highlights

Born in Ethiopia and left due to violence and oppression against the Oromo people.

Parents were imprisoned and scarred due to their ethnicity, leading to their decision to leave Ethiopia.

Spent childhood in a refugee camp in Kenya, learning about forgiveness and the importance of forgetting.

Life in the refugee camp was challenging with scarce resources and harsh conditions.

Despite hardships, there were moments of joy and play with friends in the camp.

Health conditions in the camp were poor, with frequent illnesses like malaria causing school absences.

Grew up appreciating life and the value of patience and understanding due to camp experiences.

The refugee camp was a diverse community with people from various countries and backgrounds.

Underwent a series of interviews to recount the reasons for leaving Ethiopia.

Experienced a long resettlement process, which can take 10 to 20 years for some refugees.

Received help from the UK embassy and underwent medical and orientation processes.

Arrived in the UK and were met by refugee action staff and caseworkers at the airport.

The first time feeling peace and security upon arrival in the UK, contrasting with the camp's dangers.

Learned how to navigate daily life in the UK, such as shopping and using public services.

Plans to settle permanently in the UK for a better life for their children.

Aspirations to work as an interpreter and potentially represent their people with further qualifications.

Migration is a tough and traumatizing process, but the message of hope is crucial for those in camps.

Mental health is a significant concern for refugees, with many suffering in silence.

Gradually adjusting to life in the UK while cherishing the memories of their childhood.

Transcripts

i was born in ethiopia

we left ethiopia there was a lot of

killing going on i don't remember

but i know this from my parents

my family are oromo

my people are really oppressed

there's a lot of killing they imprison

anyone who tries to express themselves

or represents their people

my dad and mom were not political but my

dad was imprisoned

he has a lot of scars on his body

like a lot

he is now disabled

my mom has a lot of scars on her body

after several times of being imprisoned

they decided to leave the country

i grew up in a camp in kenya but heard

stories about home

we had to learn what forgiveness is we

had to learn to forget

i vividly remember growing up in a

refugee camp

being a refugee was my life we were

there for 15 years

a refugee society is a vast community

with people from different countries

different experiences different

languages

as a child growing up it was difficult

but i enjoyed the moments that i had

there was scarce water limited food it

was a desert very hot

snakes and scorpions you know

the housing was very poor

health conditions were unspeakable

but i used to go out and play with my

friends and go to school once in a while

unless i was sick

especially with malaria

when you would miss school for weeks and

weeks

growing up in a refugee camp taught me

to be patient

understanding and that things don't come

easy

it made me appreciate life

and the fact that being alive is the

best gift you could have

in the camp you go through a series of

interviews they ask what made you leave

your country it's hard to recall

especially for my dad and mom i could

see it on their face they don't want to

remember but you have to

we were lucky

we got a resettlement opportunity but

the resettlement process takes time for

some people it takes 10 to 20 years

just like many other families we had to

undergo medical and orientation process

we met people from the uk embassy who

gave us some information about living in

the uk

schooling medical issues dentists and

things like that

after months we finally came to uk

my brother was the one who came to uk

first

by then my elder sister was married and

living with her husband and family

so we left her in the camp with her

children and husband

we arrived in the uk and we were met at

the airport by refugee action staff and

our caseworkers they were there to help

us

my younger sister and brother were so

happy

seeing the plane and everything it was

exciting

for us it was like okay fine

let's start over again

this was the first time i felt peace and

security

it never felt safe in the camp knowing

that when you sleep at night your

neighbors are being robbed or raped that

kind of stuff

we had interpreters and the caseworker

they came home with us and explained

everything

having come from a refugee camp you know

most of the things are new to you we

registered with the gp the dentist and

everything

they took us out to the shopping center

they showed us how to do shopping how

you can go ahead and pay you know for

your own shopping

i plan to settle in the uk permanently

because my children will have a

beautiful life here i work as an

interpreter maybe once i get

qualification i'll be able to represent

my people

migration in general is tough difficult

and traumatizing but for people in the

camp i just like to pass a message of

hope

it's not easy it's all about holding on

and being patient for most refugees the

mental health is at risk we feel okay we

don't want to talk about it

but most of the people are dying inside

me and my siblings are gradually getting

used to the life here

but the memories of our childhood stick

forever

you