Today marks World Refugee Day. Each year it falls on 20th June and shines a light on the rights, needs and dreams of those forced to flee. As a charity, we have welcomed many child refugees such as Priya* in recent years, and found it an enormous privilege to give them a week to delight in being children again.
Here is Priya’s Story
Priya* is only 9 years old, but she has had to grow up very quickly. Priya’s family arrived in the UK as refugees, having fled a life-threatening war in the country they knew and loved. This is enough adversity for one lifetime, but sadly their struggles were not over. Priya’s family have been victims of hate crime, resulting in police involvement. Because Priya’s parents cannot speak English, Priya often acts as their translator, meaning she has witnessed some things no child should have to hear.
At Go Beyond, Priya was welcomed with open arms into a safe space where she would receive some much needed respite. When she first arrived, Priya was shy and understandably apprehensive about integrating with the other children. But she soon came out of her shell, surprising everyone with her inner strength.
At the rock climbing centre, Priya strapped herself into her harness and began to scale the wall. Climbing higher and higher, she bravely tackled the activity with quiet determination. She surprised even herself when she reached the last hold at the very top of the wall, turning round to see all of her peers and the Break Leaders applauding her and cheering. A huge beaming smile swept across her face, and this moment encouraged Priya to face the rest of the week with more self-confidence.
Priya was never going to be as loud and boisterous as some other members of the group, but her polite and kind nature saw her awarded Star of the Day many times by her new friends. Everyone was amazed by the calm approach she took to any activity, from making the world’s longest paper chain during arts and crafts, to whizzing down even the biggest slides at the waterpark.
At the end of the week, Priya got to exchange her Go Beyond bucks (which the children are rewarded with for displaying our values across the week) for some treats from the toy cupboard. Since her family fled to the UK, Priya has not had much to call her own, and toys are a luxury. As the door opened, Priya’s eyes lit up as she took in the myriad of games, accessories, teddy bears and more. Priya’s choice was a small pot of slime for herself, and a big cuddly cat. When asked what she was going to call it Priya said, “I’ll let my baby brother decide. I’m giving it to him.” For a child who has so little, Priya’s selflessness in this moment was truly inspiring.
At Go Beyond, Priya got to experience the childhood she always deserved. Surrounded by a supportive group of adults and peers, Priya was seen and celebrated for being the amazing and capable little girl she is. No child should be defined by inequality, tragedy or instability, and we hope that Priya has left her break knowing she can go beyond anything that stands between her and the brightest future imaginable.
*Priya’s name and some details of her story have been changed to protect her identity.
