Refugees celebrate Eid in event

They feel at home here

Syrian refugee families living in West Lothian cel e b rated Eid on Saturday at an organised welcoming event to help them connect with their new community.

The families, who have been relocated to different parts of Livingston, celebrated the end of Ramadan at Almondell Country Park at the event organised by charity The Conservation Volunteers who have been working with the families since December 2016.

The charity have piloted the Welcome Through Wildlife initiative which tries to integrate the families better by improving their English, understand people and places in the area and also explore local nature and heritage sites.

Tahrir Waswas, Syrian translator and close confidant of the families, said the programme provides families with practical and emotional support.

He said: “These people may have high levels of anxiety, grief and loss, a shattered world view and depression because of their experiences.

“Coming to a totally different background, not being able to understand or speak to those around you and not knowing what is going to happen next is another side of their trauma.

“Discovering nature and spending hours between the trees, looking for the common plants between UK and their homeland, all this helps them to relieve the stress and the pain. The importance of practicing the language, communicating with the locals to help them to feel resettle.”

Em ad Krouma, one family’s father, was able to describe what an recent outing to Eliburn Reservoir meant to him - the first time he has been able to share his thoughts in English.

Mr Krouma said: “We especially enjoyed the kids on this sunny day with the activities of drawing and walking around the lake and seeing the fish as they swam. The scenery was very beautiful.”

The families come from different parts of Syria and have lost their homes and families due to the ongoing conflict in the country with some having not having seen their home or relatives for over five years. Some have spent the last few years in refugee camps.

Angela Constance, Equalities Minister and MSP for Almond Valley, said helping the families settle and integrate was “so important.”

She said: “Scotland is a welcoming country and I am proud of the support and help people arriving here under the Syrian Resettlement Programme h a v e received from communities throughout the country. Helping these families to settle and integrate as they make Scotland their new home is so important.

“I am delighted to be taking part in Welcome Through Wildlife, which is a fantastic programme connecting Syrian families with the community in Livingston, as they socialise.”

Debbie Adams, The conservation volunteers director for Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “In TCV, we know the health benefits Scotland’s natural environment can provide.”

I am proud of the support and help received

Angela Constance