Organised by Story
"HostNation makes it easy"
Away from the often angry narrative around refugees, sympathetic citizens are quietly making new arrivals welcome. For isolated, often traumatised people, a chance at friendship can be transformative. As refugee Abdul says of his friend Jordan:
I feel more positive with Jordan in my life. I don't feel alone.
Jordan is really pleased to have a chance to be friends with someone he would otherwise never have met.
He's a great guy and super smart. We are getting on well. We’ve forged a great friendship and I’m very grateful for that.
The two were introduced by HostNation. We do one simple yet powerful thing: we match local people and refugees for friendship.
This can be just the boost that a new arrival needs to feel safe and welcome here. As asylum seeker Shoiab says simply,
There's someone here who cares about me.
His befriender Chloe has shown him round London, introduced him to her partner, family and friends. It makes him feel valued.
Meanwhile for the third friendship match in our film, Sheila and Sabrina, it is clear how much the two women enjoy each other's company. Knowing Sabrina has opened many doors for Sheila, who is now reading her poems in public and finding a new sense of confidence.
I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing now without Sabrina. The centre of my world has grown bigger. She has enlarged it.
With 85% of our refugee friends reporting improved wellbeing, we know we are onto something good. Please support us with a gift if you can.
To find out more, visit https://www.hostnation.org.uk/