Ayen* came into the country with her two children; aged two and three, to be with her husband in March 2021. She is Sudanese and speaks very little English. Leeanne, our Women’s Worker arranged through messages and Google translate to meet with Ayen at her home. Leeanne arrived to discover that the family had very little in their home. There were a few toys, but not age appropriate toys. Leeanne remembers that “their cooker was held together with Sellotape and was a danger to the children. They were sleeping on mattresses on the floor in one room.”
In response, Leeanne worked with our Child and Family Centre to provide toys, nappies and clothes.
We applied to ACTS435 for funding for a new cooker for Ayen. We received this funding and with a donation from Glasgow City Mission, we were able to buy a new cooker for Ayen. Ayen had expressed feeling lonely, so we linked Ayen in with the conversation café at the City Centre project.
Leeanne sent videos of the house to get an idea of what was still required to Pam and Morag, our Housing Settlement Officers.
When Pam and Morag furnish a home, they source things from lots of different places. The luxury mattress was donated by a volunteer at the Overnight Welcome Centre who mentioned in passing that she had one spare. Castlemilk Furniture Project are one of our partners who provide things free of charge; this time we sourced cots, kids clothes, toys, lamps and black out blinds from them. Pam and Morag were able to get a good discount on a double bed frame from the Shelter shop on Argyle Street. Our intern, Antony went with Pam and Morag to do the move with them. Together, Antony, Pam and Morag built beds, and changed furniture around to make the room feel different. It’s amazing what a change around, including lamps can do to make a gloomy room feel more homely, and use the space better. Throughout the tasks of building beds and putting up curtains, Ayen’s toddler was climbing on, over and under the beds being built.
Ayen was linked in with our Urban Employability worker, Susan, and now has a job cleaning in the The Wild Olive Tree café. Ayen is delighted and sent us this message: “Sincerely I have no words, I’m really moved, you have improved my life and my morale, I am happy to have known you, thank you, thank you again” (praying hands).
Giving monthly to Glasgow City Mission helps us equip more people like Ayen in our city, to flourish and know fulness of life. Will you consider giving monthly?
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*Pseudonym used.
