Saber arrived in the UK from Sudan in the summer of 2025 after leaving his home country due to conflict, and has refugee status.
He joined our English class in Heston to improve his language skills and begin rebuilding his life. He told us about how LEAH and GLA funding helped him grow and move towards being job ready in future.
Background
“I am from Sudan. I come from a place called Saraf Omra in North Darfur. My mother, father, three brothers and four sisters still live there. I left Sudan when I was 18 years old because of the war. Life there became very difficult. My first language is Arabic. I went to school in Sudan until I was 14 years old. At school I really enjoyed studying English, and it was one of my favourite subjects. Learning English is very important to me now because I want to learn new skills and build a future here.
My dream is to become a doctor one day. I feel proud of myself when I am in my lessons at Heston class with other students. Being able to study again makes me feel proud. I am also proud because before I was homeless and living on the streets, and now I have managed to move into a home and start building my life again.”
Barriers
“When I first arrived in the UK, the biggest difficulty for me was the language barrier. I did not understand how things worked here and everything felt very different. Housing was also a challenge. I was homeless for seven weeks, which made it very difficult to keep a routine or focus on studying. During that time, life was very unstable. Because I needed to survive and communicate, I had to learn English very quickly. Even though it was difficult, this situation pushed me to develop my English skills faster.
I feel very good living in this area now. I feel that I am part of a community because there are many people like me here and we support each other. Sometimes I help others by translating for them and supporting them through situations that I have already experienced. Helping others makes me feel confident and happy. In class, when I speak with Savannah, she listens to me and speaks up for me when I need support. This helps me feel safe and supported.”
How did LEAH and GLA partnership help?
“LEAH has helped me a lot since I arrived. Savannah supported me to access a digital skills course with Hounslow Adult Education, which helped me start learning important computer skills. LEAH also helped me during the time when I was homeless. They advocated for me with the council, helped me develop survival skills in English such as learning how to send referrals to StreetLink and send emails so I could receive support. During this time, I still went to my English class. Because of this support, I now feel more confident and positive about my future. Savannah also shares information in a way I understand about opportunities that will help me become more job ready and eventually support my goal of going to university.
When I speak with Savannah about my future, it makes me feel safe and hopeful.”
Saber’s message to others
“Do not give up. Keep studying and believe in yourself. Ask for help when you need it. Never be afraid to ask for help because there are organisations like LEAH who want to support you.”
Today, Saber continues to build his confidence, English language skills and independence. He is attending English classes at LEAH and college, while also taking part in enrichment activities that help him practise English and feel more connected to his community.
He has begun supporting other learners by translating and sharing his own experiences, showing how far he has come since arriving in the UK.
With support from LEAH, he is developing his digital skills and exploring opportunities that will help him become ready for employment. Looking ahead, Saber remains focused on his ambition to continue his education and, one day, become a doctor.
