Afghan refugees who come to York 'will have a lot to offer'

Dr Rama Isaiah says the families who come here will have a lot to offer.

“They won’t be coming because they didn’t have a livelihood in their own country,” Dr Isaiah said. “They had totally settled lives, but they have been uprooted. They have a lot to offer to the communities that they are coming to.”

YREN will work alongside the council, York City of Sanctuary and Refugee Action York to help refugees settle.

“Seeing graphic images of many members of our human family leaving their homes and country to seek a place of safety and refuge elsewhere is most distressing,” Dr Isaiah said. “Whilst we feel powerless to stem the tide of horrors that our Afghan brothers and sisters have suffered - and continue to suffer - we will work with those who come to York and surrounding areas to alleviate their anguish and suffering.

“We are ready to assist in whatever way possible, for example with language issues, help with isolation and integrating into communities. YREN’s recent work with Syrian refugees has given us further recent experience to build on towards ensuring that the best interests of Afghan refugees are met as and when they arrive in York.”

YREN will also be ready to help in case any refugees face discrimination or abuse, Dr Isaiah added. “Most of YREN’s trustees are of UK minority ethnic heritage and many have first-hand experiences and knowledge of racial issues, making them ideally suited to address such sensitive matters.”

Dr Isaiah, who describes herself as being ‘the wrong side of 60’, took over as chair of YREN three weeks ago.

An expert in development and conservation, she grew up in Madras (now Chennai) and came to York with her husband Vijay in the early 1990s to do a Ph.D at the University of York.

She has lived in York ever since, and has worked as a project manager on major, multi-million pound regeneration projects across the country.