Former Stoke asylum seeker now helping those arriving in city's hotels
The charity he started is now offering support to hundreds
A former asylum seeker that's made Stoke-on-Trent his home and launched a charity is stepping in to support the hundreds of people arriving in the city's hotels.
"I came here as an asylum seeker from Rwanda and I was working as a public health specialist back in my country." said Godefroid Seminega, the Service Manager at Asha North Staffordshire in Hanley.
"I was granted refugee status in 2003 and I started applying for a job in Stoke-on-Trent.
"I was working as a public health specialist back in my country, so when I arrived here me and some other local people started this charity, ASHA."
Godefroid has held managerial positions in Africa and has worked for local health authorities and several NHS Trusts in the North West promoting health among Black and Minority Ethnics Community, in particular HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care.
Speaking to us exclusively about the estimated 225 people being house in Stoke-on-Trent's two hotels, Godefroid said:
"These people are stuck in the hotel and they don't have nothing. It's really very shame when you're out in the hotel and you see children on the floor, they don't have anything to do and they don't have TV in their rooms.
"So we start to do activities with children and activities with women. The men are also invited to come to our football club." said Godefroid.
Each year Asha helps near 1000 people from 50 countries
Asha is a charity formed in 2005 to help men, women and children seeking refuge from persecution. The charity actively promotes social inclusion for asylum seekers and refugees.
Godefroid added: "We have also started getting children's names and applying them to local schools. We did an appeal to get more clothes to both hotels. We have noticed that during the day they don't have access to any drinks. We help them to get SIM cards."
Stoke-on-Trent currently has two hotels selected by the Home Office and Serco for use as asylum dispersal and accommodation, with all rooms at both booked up for individuals and families.
"Accommodation... is appropriate for an individual’s needs"
A Home Office spokesperson said:
“The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.
“The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6 million a day.
“We engage with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation and work to ensure arrangements are safe for hotel residents and local people.”
The Home Office concluded by saying that they continue to ensure the accommodation provided is safe, secure, leaves no one destitute and is appropriate for an individual’s needs.
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