‘A new chapter’ Syrian family thank city for chance to rebuild their lives
AFAMILY who spent five years in a refugee camp after fleeing the civil war in Syria before coming to Bristol as part of the Government’s refugee resettlement programme has said they want to give back to the city and the country that took them in.
Hisham Alsaiyad and his wife Wesam were well-educated professionals in Damascus when the civil war tore their family apart, and they had to flee for their lives.
Now, their new home is in Patchway, thanks to the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme, which is overseen by South Gloucestershire Council and run by housing association LiveWest.
The project is designed to help survivors of torture, people with serious medical conditions and those fleeing war-torn countries in search of a safer life.
And that is what happened to Hisham, Wesam and their three children, who took just what they could carry from their regular lives in Damascus and ended up in one of the huge refugee camps in Jordan, where millions of people ended up after fleeing Syria in 2011.
That was 10 years ago, and the family lived there for five years before being accepted as legal refugees by the UK Government, and ending up in Patchway.
“We didn’t know anything about the UK,” said Hisham, now 43. “No one we knew had ever been to Europe. The children had picked up a little English from school in Jordan, but my wife and I could barely say ‘hello.’ We knew the weather wouldn’t be what we were used to, but we had no idea how different everything would be.”
The civil war in Syria killed hundreds of thousands of people, and displaced millions. Hisham said he had no choice but to flee as Damascus was ruined by bombing and warfare.
“The war in Syria meant we had no choice but to leave the country and we fled to Jordan,” he said.
“It was very tough on us all. The war had destroyed a large area in Syria, and it forced millions of people to leave. We were fortunate enough to be accepted to come and live in the UK and start a new chapter in our lives.
“When we arrived, LiveWest gave us a warm welcome at the airport and brought us to our house which was equipped with simple furniture.”
But things weren’t all plain sailing from then – it’s been a challenge to settle in and start again. A major setback for Hisham was being told that despite being a qualified pharmacist in Damascus, the UK did not recognise his qualifications.
“I immediately gave my degree certificate in pharmacy and master’s degree in clinical biochemistry to Amanda Bennett, LiveWest’s resettlement manager, who thankfully translated it.
“After that, I asked how to register as a pharmacist here. It was then that I was told that my certificate did not entitle me to work directly here. I was shocked, disappointed and frustrated,” he said.
Suddenly, the future in Patchway didn’t seem quite so bright.
“It made things so difficult,” said Hisham. “We faced learning a new language, and the home was a long way from public transport, school and shops”.
But Hisham and his family knuckled down and got on with it. He started learning English at a community centre in South Gloucestershire, and his progress was so quick he was named Learner of the Year with the top score in the exam. He then went on to City of Bristol College for more courses and ended up with a distinction in a master’s degree in Medical Microbiology. Now, he’s currently studying to improve his IT skills so that he can work in a lab to drive forward medical advances.
He said: “I am overjoyed to have achieved all of my qualifications. It made me so happy given the difficulties I faced during my studies, especially during lockdown.
“I now hope to achieve my dream to be a professor at university as I love studying and research. I want to return some of the favours I have received since arriving here in the UK.”
Wesam is studying to get a job that will help give something back, and their children are already on the way too.
“Eventually she wants to do a master’s degree in translation so that she can work as a translator and interpreter,” said Hisham. “My oldest son particularly enjoys science and dreams of becoming a surgeon. We are very happy now as a family as we have learnt the language and my children were transferred to lovely schools. We love the values of this country; freedom, justice, equalities and government support. And the people are very helpful.”
LiveWest’s programme to help people fleeing the civil war in Syria has been a big success.
Hisham said without Amanda Bennett from LiveWest, they would
have struggled for the past four years.
“She supported us with a variety of things – getting familiar with the city and the people. She also did the necessary paperwork that we didn’t have the ability to fill in. Amanda also helped to contact companies like gas, electricity and water.
“She also visited us regularly to help with daily necessities. She got us signed up to the NHS and helped arrange schools for the children.
“LiveWest is a crucial organisation that helps people that are forced to leave their countries due to a variety of reasons. The organisation ensures that families are well taken care of and supported while adapting to a different place from the one they used to live in.
“Amanda has been a huge help and we thank her from the bottom of our hearts,” Hisham said.
For Amanda, the Alsaiyad family’s prospects to help Bristol and South Gloucestershire for years to come are the reward for her work.
“The families I support show real tenacity and ambition, but it was clear from day one that Hisham’s family had a real passion for learning,” she said.
“I am very proud of all the Syrian Refugee Programme families I support, they have overcome many challenges and hurdles during the resettlement process to the UK.
“No one can imagine what these families have been through as many of them are survivors of torture and violence and have urgent medical needs.
“When I collect the families from the airport you can see relief on their faces. No one wants to flee their home country, but when you or your family are at risk, we would all act and protect our loved ones by fleeing to a place of safety. Sadly, all of the families I support have lost members of their own families, this is also hard for them as they are only now able to grieve for their loved ones.”
❝ We knew the weather wouldn’t be what we were used to, but we had no idea how different everything would be Hisham Alsaiyad