Doorstep Stories: Meet Malcolm
Our second doorstep story sees Malcolm* speak to festival director Sam Holland about the challenges he has faced, how he is supporting others in lockdown whilst hoping to get a university place once things return to normal
What is your Migration story?
I first came in 2005 as a student and I did my degree in business studies at the University of Bolton. I was able to stay on my student visa for a few years and I worked in a security firm before studying a Masters in human resource management. It was in between my studies that things got complicated at home in Kenya.
I went back to Kenya in 2011 where things got incredibly difficult and my plans didn’t go as expected. In my country gangs influence the ruling parties and because of this I was living in fear for a long time.
I left the country in May 2019 after making arrangements through a friend to live in Canada but when I transferred at Heathrow I hit more complications and was prevented from boarding the flight, however to make matters worse I found out from relatives that my house in Kenya had been burned down. I had no money to sustain myself so how could I possibly return to my home? I was forced to seek asylum in the UK.
I am still waiting for the authorities to process my application for asylum but in the meantime I have been able to give my service to Refugee Council, British Red Cross and City of Sanctuary and support people like me who have been similarly affected. It’s in this time that I’ve come across other people’s stories. I’ve realised there are people who have had it even worse than me, and I’ve heard things I didn’t think existed. It has inspired me to understand global crises in a more professional and contextual way and find out what is going wrong in so many places across the world.
How are you spending your time during lockdown?
The first few months of the lockdown has been one of the most difficult periods of my life and I was so fearful as I have been in the dark with no information. I was just told to stay in the house. My mental health skyrocketed and I have worried I was going crazy so when they said I could go outside for a journey a day, I decided to go for two journeys instead.
The British Red Cross and Refugee Council (who I volunteer with regularly) have an initiative where you can call people who are in your situation so I have been taking time to do that. It at least gave me something to do as I have felt like a prisoner in my own house.
Before lockdown I volunteered my time with Refugee Council, British Red Cross & City of Sanctuary and I have come across people with far worse stories than mine and have heard things I didn’t think existed. I just want to understand why these crises happen and what is going wrong in so many places across the world? This has led me to apply for scholarship a degree in International Relations and global crisis at Sheffield Hallam University.
What has made you smile during lockdown?
I completed a ‘Raising your Voice’ course with the Refugee Council and I received a certificate for that. I’ve never wanted to be an activist but it is great to have done this so I know how to speak out when injustices happen.
I’m also not a shy person but when you get knocked down you lose your confidence so this has helped a lot.
What are you most looking forward to after lockdown?
If my scholarship application is successful I’d be so excited to go to university full time, which would mean I could study every day.
I’m also really looking forward to volunteering again and seeing all the people that I usually work with.
I also signed up to volunteer to support a young offenders programme and I’ll take part in a training, which will help me learn more about the laws of this country.
*Malcolm is a pseudonym to protect his real identity
