Red Cross Blogs

Refugee week: Tsitsi’s story

By Jamie
June 18, 2010 at 3:02 pm

Tsitsi fled to the UK from Zimbabwe for safety when the political situation in her home country became too dangerous for her to stay. Not allowed to work, she was forced to live in destitution while her asylum case was processed.

Here, she reflects on her experiences as an asylum seeker and looks forward to a future in which she can rebuild her life in the UK.

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See lookbeyondthelabel.org.uk for more information about refugee week

Transcript:

Tsitsi:  I never wanted to be an asylum seeker. This word ‘refugee’ to me was something scary – so low. It was just like I’ve lowered myself to the last grade.

Narrator (Carla): Tsitsi grew up as part of a large family in Zimbabwe. She worked hard at school and secured herself good employment as a government clerk. She planned for her and her children’s futures, saving money, earning a pension, enjoying her life. One day this was all suddenly taken from her and Tsitsi fled to the UK in fear. She lived hidden in her daughter’s home in Portsmouth in Hampshire.

Tsitsi:  I was a destitute because I had nothing for myself. You just pretend to be happy. I’d been a worker all my life – I didn’t want to be a parasite. I felt so bad, I couldn’t ask for anything.

Narrator (Carla): In her job in Zimbabwe Tsitsi renewed a firearms certificate for a white farmer which she says was within her jurisdiction, but the authorities did not approve due to the Land Reform programme put in place by President Mugabe. Land Reform has been a controversial programme to resettle black Zimbabweans on farms owned by white farmers. Tsitsi’s work colleagues accused her of supporting the then-opposition party the MDC.

Tsitsi:  Something happened at work. I got in trouble; I was suspended because I’d issued a firearms certificate to a white farmer. But it was within my right to do that. So I was in big trouble and I was supposed to go to court. When I went back they would look at you, say ‘you are MDC’, ‘sellout’, ‘how can you do that?’, ‘you are biting the fingers that are feeding you’. It was just terrible.

I was scared; I just decided to come before I would go to court. I was afraid because at that time things were not going well.

Narrator (Carla): Tsitsi overstayed her visitor’s VISA in the UK as she waited for the political situation to calm down at home. But years later, she realized she would have to start a new life – as an asylum seeker.

Tsitsi:  I lived in fear. I couldn’t go out because I would just think what if? I would be sent away. I was scared.

All the time I remained here I thought there was going to be a change of government in Zimbabwe. Then I would one day go back. That’s where my heart is.

So I waited 2005, nothing came, year 2008 nothing came, so I had no option now but to seek asylum.

Narrator (Carla): When Tsitsi visited the British Red Cross orientation project for asylum seekers and refugees in Portsmouth, she began to discover she was not so alone… she met other people she had seen at church and realised they too were in the UK to seek safety.

Tsitsi:  No one talked about their status. So it’s very difficult sometimes. For me to be where I am now is through the Red Cross. When I came here and told them my story they introduced me to a lawyer who took up my case. When I came here another time they gave me some food voucher – I never expected that. To me they did really, really help. Every time I come here I can pick up some clothes, so they are still looking after me… come and have a cup of tea, socialize. Here I have made numerous friends.

Narrator (Carla): Looking back Tsitsi realises her battle against the label of asylum seeker was partly because she was not allowed to live independently or to earn her own money.

Tsitsi:  It was not that I was incapable. I was quite capable of looking after myself but because of the situation of papers, of documentation, I could not. I could have worked any kind of work. I had been self-reliant for ages and I know what it means. I’d been a worker for life.

I didn’t want this money being given as if I’m nothing. I could have worked for those seven years but all that was wasted. No one wants to live on benefits – it’s an insult. I don’t enjoy it, I enjoy something that I earn, something that I work for: no – I want to sweat.

Living with my daughter is the most difficult thing. If she feels she wants to give to me than I say thank you, if she feels she does not want to give me I say I do not want to worry her. I’m not a scrounger; I don’t want to be a scrounger. At least she’s given me a roof over my head, and at least I’m eating, I’m warm. This is all I’m wanting for, but my heart was just thinking about my home.

Narrator (Carla): Tsitsi is now looking to the future, looking to rebuild her life in the UK as a British citizen having been awarded leave to remain in the country. But she says not everyone is accepting of her

Tsitsi:  An asylum seeker is an outcast, is not considered as somebody who is capable. There are looks which can tell stories without opening your mouth. You just (sighs) pretend not to see that and you say to yourself I wish you knew why I was in this situation. It’s not just coming here willingly.

People don’t like us here to be honest. They are not comfortable with the asylum seekers. I don’t blame them – it’s their country. But if they understand why someone seeks refuge, it may be that they can start to understand why.

I didn’t come here to grab their wealth; I came here because of problems. I just feel I want to contribute to the nation. I wish to be self-reliant.

Narrator: To find out more about how the Red Cross helps refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, visit redcross.org.uk/refugees.

The orientation projects in Southampton and Portsmouth have been funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

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Tags: destitution, Refugee Week

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