Refugee facing homelessness had lost all hope—he didn't know his life would change when an elderly couple took him in
Acquiring the status of a refugee comes after an unimaginable struggle. To be forced to leave one’s homeland and restart is a painstaking reality many face. Support and kindness are instrumental in making a difference in the lives of refugees. A young man named Aziz had his passport blocked and was told that if he returned to his country, he would go to jail, as reported by Refugees At Home. He had to find a way to build his life elsewhere and moved to the UK. With only a few days to find a home and prove that he is worthy as a resident, the man was struggling. A couple, Anita and Steve, stepped in to turn his life around.
Calling it an “ugly divorce” from his country, Aziz shared how he was pushed out of his homeland. “I used to write articles about the Moroccan government and they didn’t like that. They blocked my passport and told me that if I came back, I’d go to prison. My only choice was to apply for asylum,” he explained. He had 28 days to find a home and that period became a trying time for him."You're living a normal life [before] and all of a sudden you're now an asylum seeker and even worse, you're now homeless, just like that. It was very quick,” he said, per BBC News.
Furthermore, the stereotype attached to his refugee status also made things worse. “As a refugee, just meeting with a landlord is difficult. There’s a bad name attached to refugees – they think you’re a criminal,” he remarked. With several barriers to acquiring even a rented room, the man had no choice but to be homeless. He purchased a sleeping bag and was prepared to accept his reality of sleeping on the streets. “I had nowhere to go,” he said. He signed up with Refugees At Home and came across the hosts, Anita and Steve, who were willing to take him in for a while until he got his placement.
Since the couple had hosted guests before and Aziz was their sixth, they didn’t think much of it. However, for this young man, it is hope redefined. "I cannot thank them enough because technically they saved my life," he said. "They don't see it that way. They just see it as if they're helping me but they did save my life,” he added. Over time, the couple has become a human form of kindness and love to the man. They didn’t just give him a home; they gave him a fresh shot at life.
“Staying with my hosts, Anita and Steve, is wonderful. They have a beautiful garden. I just open the door and everything is green. It’s not like London, where you just hear the sirens everywhere – the noise is like music to me,” Aziz said. “They’re very supportive of me staying here until I rebuild my life,” he remarked. The man has already found a job and plans to move out but will forever be grateful to the couple who came through when he needed it the most.
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