My Journey from Sudan to University
My name is Chol. I am 26 years old and I am from Sudan.
Before coming to the UK, I was studying engineering in Sudan. Unfortunately, because of the conflict, I was unable to complete my studies and had to leave my home country. Like many people seeking safety, I arrived in the UK hoping to rebuild my life and continue my education one day.
When I first arrived, I was living in asylum accommodation in a hotel in Hounslow. For me, living in the hotel was very difficult. I often felt isolated and trapped. I experienced a lot of depression, loneliness and anxiety, and I was worried about what my future would look like.
One day, some friends in the hotel told me about the English classes run by LEAH in Heston. They encouraged me to attend, and joining those classes was one of the best decisions I made.
The classes gave me something positive to focus on each week. When I joined, I felt refreshed because I was learning new things and gaining new knowledge. The teachers and staff genuinely cared about me and wanted me to succeed. Through LEAH, I also accessed support from the food bank, which helped me during a very difficult period in my life. It felt good to know that people cared and wanted to help.
Learning English helped me in many ways. It improved my confidence, made me more independent and helped me manage everyday life in the UK. Being able to communicate more effectively opened doors and gave me the confidence to think about my future again.
After I was granted refugee status, I faced another major challenge. I was evicted from the hotel and became street homeless for six days. I contacted Street Link and they came to help me. After that, I moved between different areas, including North London, Woolwich and Newcastle. At one point, I was homeless for five months because I had not previously lived in the borough and could not access housing support there.
Despite these challenges, I never gave up on my dream of continuing my education. Before conflict forced me to leave Sudan, I had been studying engineering, and I was determined to find a way to continue.
Eventually, I moved to Scotland and began exploring opportunities to return to education. Although I had studied English in Sudan, I found some of the regional accents difficult at first. However, I kept practising and improving my language skills.
Applying for university was not easy. One of the biggest challenges was obtaining references. I tried to contact my former headteacher in Sudan, but I could not reach him. I was worried because I did not know how I would complete my application without the documentation I needed.
At that point, I remembered something Savannah, LEAH’s ESOL Coordinator, had told me when I was attending classes. She had said that even if I moved out of the borough, I could still contact her in the future if I needed support accessing education. Remembering this gave me hope, so I got back in touch.
Savannah took the time to guide me through the process. She explained what I needed to do, advised me on the questions to ask and provided a reference based on my learning, attendance and commitment during the ESOL classes. Her support made a huge difference and helped me move forward with my application.
Today, I am living in temporary accommodation provided by the council in Edinburgh. I am proud to say that I have secured a place at university and will be studying Petroleum Engineering at Aberdeen University. Achieving this means a lot to me because it allows me to continue the studies that were interrupted by conflict and move closer to the career I always wanted.
When people ask me how important LEAH’s support was in helping me progress from ESOL classes to university, my answer is simple: it was very important. The classes improved my English, increased my confidence and gave me access to people who genuinely cared about my future. The support did not end when I left Hounslow. Knowing that I could come back for advice and guidance helped me continue my educational journey even after moving hundreds of miles away.
My message to other Asylum Seekers and Refugees is simple: keep pushing because challenges are part of life. Without challenges, there is no life. Believe in yourself and keep on walking. There will be difficulties, but if you continue moving forward and accept support when it is offered, you can achieve your goals and build a better future.