A Syrian refugee family has been housed in Birmingham thanks to the help of donors and volunteers at Green Lane Mosque.
The family of six consisting of a mother, father, three children and the mother’s orphaned younger brother travelled to the UK with no more than a couple of bags.
But on February 12 they took their first steps into their new home in Birmingham.
Working with the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, Green Lane Masjid (GLMCC) was able to support the vulnerable family out of harsh camp conditions in Lebanon.
GLMCC joined the government’s “Vulnerable Person’s Relocation Scheme,” and committed to saving at least one family from desperate and traumatising conditions.
GLMCC representatives said they were saddened to realise that the family had very few personal belongings remaining. “With God’s mercy and the support of GLMCC’s congregation, the family arrived into a house that had been beautifully decorated, cleaned and furnished by GLMCC volunteers,” the masjid said in a statement.
The three-bedroom terraced house was in need of extensive renovation before the family could move in. A highly skilled interior designer offered her professional services to help transform the house into a warm and welcoming home, the masjid said.
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Local members of the community worked tirelessly to paint, build furniture and clean the house in the months preceding their arrival.
They felt personally affected by the family’s story, as one volunteer explained: “I had been briefed earlier on in the project about the family’s situation and it had been heart-wrenching to hear. It was an emotional moment greeting them. We helped them settle in as much as we could and explained some of the essential information they needed.”
With a support network created for the family, GLMCC will now focus upon integrating the family into the community through English classes, helping the parents to find employment, and putting the children into school.
The family still require emotional, social and financial support and GLMCC is requesting that the community continue their efforts by supporting the cause.
Humayun Saleem, PR & Fundraising Manager, commented: “The Prophet (may Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) said: ‘None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.’”
If you would like to donate towards helping the family settle into their new home and towards their living costs, then please do so here.
