Many might initially envision their physical home—the place where they sleep, share meals, and try to keep organized. Some might immediately recall their childhood home, even if it has been decades since they lived there. For those living abroad, home might evoke thoughts of their home country, its culture, and the family members who still live there. The idea of home is complex, encompassing not just a location but also a sense of belonging and emotional connection. When we learn about a refugee family’s journey, our focus tends to be on the reasons they had to flee and the challenges they faced along the way, often overlooking their lives prior to war, their cherished experiences, and the personal meaning of home. In our conversation with the Ahmad family, we explored their journey to the UK, the sacrifice of leaving their home behind, and the significance of that experience for them.
Reset spoke to Mahmoud and Haya who were welcomed to the UK through Community Sponsorship in 2023.
When Haya reminisces about her childhood in Syria, she recalls the warmth of a big family. Her house was always full of life—uncles, aunties, cousins gathering together to celebrate holidays and share meals. It was a time of belonging, safety, and love. She always felt secure in the embrace of her family, surrounded by the familiar sights and the sounds of home.
Mahmoud, Haya’s father, worked as an electrical engineer for the government. He was proud of his job and was very passionate about his work and provided for his wife and three daughters. But everything changed when the Syrian revolution erupted.
Haya was just a child then, but she remembers the fear she felt. The constant worry for her family’s safety. She wondered if her home and her loved ones, would survive the violence that surrounded them.
When a bomb struck their home, leaving it badly damaged, Haya’s father immediately grabbed his daughters and fled in search of safety, leaving everything behind.
They found refuge at his mother’s house, hoping for a brief respite from the violence. But even there, the war followed them. The neighbourhood soon became part of the war zone, and they were forced to leave once again.
Through all this, Haya’s father felt a deep emotional pull to return to their original home. It wasn’t just the physical structure that called to him—it was the memories, the life they had built there. Their laughter, their tears, their struggles. All of it was tied to that place.
For a month, Mahmoud returned home every day, waiting for permission to enter the house. Each day, the officials denied him access. He would sit outside their damaged home, day after day, on the pavement, unable to enter. He explained, “To me, my home was not just what it includes—furniture, the things inside. It was also the life we lived there. The memories. The happiness. The sadness. The hardships we endured.”
When they were finally allowed back in, the house was unrecognizable. There was no electricity, no running water. It felt uninhabitable. But to their family, it was still home. Mahmoud insisted on staying, determined to rebuild their life, no matter how difficult the situation had become.
They stayed in Syria for three more years, hoping that things would improve, clinging to the hope that life might return to normal.
Haya remembers the cold, overcrowded classrooms when she was allowed to return to school. She remembers the sounds of bombings in the distance. Children were warned to stay away from balconies and windows.
In 2014, the government froze their bank accounts. Faced with the harsh reality of their situation, her father made the impossible decision to leave their home and seek refuge elsewhere.
The family left for Turkey with the hope to find democracy, justice and freedom.
Despite his qualifications and professional experience, Mahmoud was not able to work as an engineer in Turkey so he opened a small maintenance shop. His shop eventually became one of the top 10 in the area.
Life in Turkey was not what they had imagined. When reflecting on her time in Turkey, Haya recalls “it was very, very hard for me. The language barrier, the different culture and people, and even the financial situation—it was completely different from what we had known”
Their income was very low and the houses they stayed in were in poor condition, infested with rats and either very hot or very cold.
Haya attended primary school, secondary school, and university while they were living in Turkey. This was no easy feat as the discrimination her family faced was clear. Students, teachers, and even the head teacher treated her differently. She felt isolated and unable to voice her concerns.
As time passed, their living situation in Turkey became more difficult. Mahmoud realized that his daughters would not be able to have a future there. His daughter, Rahaf, who suffered from eye cancer, was not receiving the treatment she needed. Mahmoud had been holding on to the hope that things would improve in Syria and they would be able to return to their home, but this seemed more and more unlikely with each passing day.
Mahmoud started the lengthy process of applying for refugee status through UNHCR. After a long, three year wait, they received notice that they would be resettled to the UK through Community Sponsorship.
Mahmoud describes their arrival day in the UK as “the first happy day after 11 years of struggle– three years in Syria and eight years in Turkey. It was the day we arrived in a country where we felt hopeful. We felt that we could achieve something. We felt safe.”
The Community Sponsorship group began supporting the family to establish a life in their new home.
Since their arrival, Mahmoud and his family have achieved so much. His daughter, Rahaf, has received the medical care she needed, and she has started a new school, where her needs are met and she is progressing her education. Mahmoud got his UK driving license. While Haya and her other sister Hala were determined to attend university to study psychology and nursing. Despite being told that she needed to improve her English and complete a foundation course Haya decided to give applying for a university degree a go. She has since been offered three university places and has proudly begun her studies in Counseling Psychology at Worcester University.
