In the Face of Adversity, There’s Always Hope
24 February 2026
Abdul, one of our long‑standing Centre Members and volunteers, has finally received a positive decision on his asylum claim after four very long, very hard years.
Abdul escaped the Taliban in Afghanistan with his brother four years ago before making the dangerous journey to safety. He had a good life in Afghanistan, he didn’t want to leave, and yet overnight he had no choice but to escape for his life.
Abdul has been wrongfully detained twice in the UK, one time thinking he was about to be removed to Rwanda!
Abdul was moved from city to city with no choice in where he lived, and, after beginning to settle and build a community here in Halifax, he was again relocated.
Despite all of this, Abdul tried to remain positive, focused on planning for the future, even though it remained very uncertain whether he would be able to stay in the UK.
When people seeking asylum are waiting for their decision, they cannot legally work.
Every week he travelled to St Augustine’s Centre to use his tech skills as a volunteer in our Tech Lab, mending mobile phones and laptops to give out to Centre Members, to reduce digital poverty.
At the same time, he has been going to college to improve his English.
Throughout this difficult time, he has wanted to support others in his situation, knowing how challenging it is to come to a country you don’t know, through no choice of your own, missing family and friends, your culture and everything you’ve known.
Abdul was supported by our caseworkers, who provided advice on housing, immigration and now moving on to start a new life and find work.
By joining our volunteer programme, Abdul now has solid UK work experience and somewhere to get glowing references that will support him in finding work in the UK now he has the right to work.
After four difficult years without seeing his family, this positive decision marks a new beginning for him, and we are incredibly pleased to stand beside him as he starts this next challenging chapter.
“Now I can start working and earning money I can send to my family in Afghanistan. They can use it to get to Iran which means I can travel and finally see my parents after four years…” -Abdul
The Systemic Challenges
Abdul’s journey is, unfortunately, one that many people seeking asylum experience and some people wait much longer for a positive decision on their asylum claim.
Being moved from place to place not able to settle. Never feeling secure or safe. Being detained indefinitely. And living with the fact that there is always a risk of re-detention.
And now, with the government’s proposed new policy on settlement people could be forced to wait up to 20 or even 30 years for settlement, including children who call the UK their only home. Imagine going through everything Abdul has faced, finally receiving positive news about your case, only to be told you must wait decades before you can truly feel safe and secure.
Courage That Carries Hope
Abdul’s story is a reminder of both the resilience of the people we support, and the challenges built into the current system. We will continue to stand by our centre members through their difficult journeys.
All people fleeing war and persecution deserve to be treated with dignity and be able to live without the risk of detention, have the right to work and have access to a fair and timely asylum process.
Abdul’s resilience has been remarkable to witness. In the face adversity there is always hope.
Making a difference
We know it can feel overwhelming when new and difficult policies emerge, or when you see distressing things happening around the world. It’s easy to feel powerless or unsure about what difference we can actually make.
Sharing information, having conversations, or signing petitions can sometimes feel too small to matter, but they do make a difference. When more people speak up, harmful policies are harder to ignore or push through unnoticed. And in a time when many of us feel increasingly powerless, staying informed and raising awareness is a real form of power.