Teens escaping the dangers of civil war

This week the Express was given an exclusive insight into the lives of those escaping war torn countries like Syria at the Milbank centre in Ashford. Throughout the summer we have seen the images and heard the stories about the growing refugee crisis in Europe as thousands search for a safe haven. Milbank houses 100 teenage boys who have managed to escape civil war and oppressive regimes, most of whom have made dangerous journeys to get here. Among them was Sadiq, from the war torn Darfur region of Sudan, who survived the perilous journey on a boat across the Mediterranean from Libya in 2013. Then there is Nassim from Ethiopia, who was told to flee after his family was threatened because his father is a politician opposing the government there. Both are young men who have sought asylum on our shores, with Sadiq hoping to go to college and train to become an engineer, and Nassim hoping to become a pilot. Their stories, along with many others, reveal the human face behind the headlines we have been hearing about all summer. We so often hear phrases such as asylum seekers and migrants being used but these show the genuine stories of people who are escaping truly terrifying circumstances. In the past the people of Kent have had to respond to refugee crises such as the Huguenots who escaped religious persecution in France, through to the Jews who fled from Nazi atrocities. It reminds us that Kent continues to play an important role in helping those who have nowhere left to go.