In a recent article, the Huffington Post interviewed NZF beneficiaries who are currently in the process of seeking asylum and were left in limbo with little support during lockdown. Find out how your Zakat was a lifeline to thousands in their situation.
23rd March 2021
A lot has been said about the impact of COVID-19 on Muslims across the UK. But one group in particular have been left very vulnerable, though their stories are not always as well known. In a recent article, the Huffington Post explores the real stories of Muslim asylum seekers facing desperate situations during lockdown and how your Zakat helped them.
From Saira, a Sudanese mother-of-three who fled to the UK and was left waiting amid a backlog of asylum claims; to Ahmad, a 40-year-old Pakistani man with a wife and four kids to take care of, unable to work and support them while their asylum claim is processed.
61% of applications to NZF in 2020 were from asylum seekers as lockdown delayed the processing of claims and left many struggling with minimal support and meagre incomes.
“These people, many of them families, have travelled hundreds of miles in treacherous conditions to escape war and oppression,” commented Iqbal Nasim, NZF Chief Executive.
“They’ve found themselves in a new country, with barely a penny in their pockets, and then been faced with the added strain of being left in limbo during a national crisis.
“Covid has delayed asylum claim assessments and left many struggling on meagre incomes, housed in hotels or B&Bs in obscure locations and unable to apply for additional support.”
The view from Twitter:
If you found homeschooling difficult, imagine what life has been like for this mum living in a hotel room with 3 children. “My children are really struggling .. they are fighting and crying and asking when we can go to live in a home.”https://t.co/JKqzQH92Kr pic.twitter.com/N3uCCUxHbO
— Aasma Day (@AasmaDay) March 21, 2021
