People in Teesside urged to welcome refugees who've had to flee countries
Many people have had to leave due to war or persecution
People in Teesside are being urged to welcome refugees who have had to flee their countries.
Many have had to leave due to war, persecution or serious human rights violations.
IT specialist Shams Moussa is originally from Niger in West Africa and has spent the last seven years in Darlington.
He is now an ambassador for IMIX, a charity which supports refugees, and they say he spent years languishing in the asylum system before finally being recognised as a refugee.
While barred from employment, Shams won a scholarship to study International Relations and used his time to volunteer. Today, he works supporting health and well-being initiatives to support newly-arrived refugees.
IMIX added that from football to music, Shams is a pillar of the community in North East England and a vital voice for others in the asylum system.
Shams said: "I think one can have both homes although I was born and raised in Africa, now I've come to consider Darlington as my second home. People around me are my family. People here are really nice and one thing that's kept me going is that they're basically generous and kind. The wonderful community that I live in they're very supportive and very kind.
"Of course I do miss home. Home is always a place where you have your memories so indeed I did bring kind of like African decorations.
"The people in Darlington have been very welcoming with open arms. Always. As they say, it might be cold up north but people's hearts are always warm, so since I've been in Darlington I've had nothing but real gratitude and thanks to the wider community and organisations.
"Celebrating refugee week is something very important just like celebrating pride week. These people are fleeing persecution. They come here and they're not as people are labelling them - a serial number or case number and taking advantage because they're not even allowed to work. They're not independent at all.
"Any sanctuary seeker that you see in the UK might have one particular job that they've been doing in their home country and the simple difference is, is that this person couldn't do that because they've been persecuted or there's war. I encourage the wider community to welcome them as they're doing always, as these are people that can contribute to the local community."
Shams added that it is tough for refugees who have been here for a long time to have an input: "It's also not fair as you have Scotland and Wales where refugees can vote in local elections, but if you're a refugee in England, you don't have any right to choose, even though they're working, paying taxes and doing everything that everyone else is doing, but yet you don't have a say on who's going to govern you."