I arrived in Sheffield under the Home Office dispersal policy following my asylum claim in 2010. On my first day as I walked through a park I was greeted by an elderly gentleman. This felt so different from London where I had lived for 7 years and obtained my degree at Middlesex University.

I immediately embraced the Sheffield community by volunteering with various charities. This enabled me to interact with people from all walks of life, many of whom have given me support, and gave me a sense of belonging and being wanted. Life has not been easy though, as following the refusal of my asylum claim and the rejection of further evidence to re-open my case I became homeless and slept rough. I survived and still survive through the support of Assist Sheffield, a charity which helps destitute and homeless failed asylum seekers. Not being in control of one's destiny requires a deep reserve of resilience, faith and the optimistic belief that fortunes will change for the better!

Nothing can ever be like home and I miss my family. But Sheffield makes me feel as if I'm home although away from my own home, the country of my birth, Zimbabwe.

Sheffield Accommodation For Alcohol Rehabilitation (SAFAR) Charity Shop, Crookes