The Refugee Council’s volunteers are often the unsung heroes of our work. Through their dedication and expertise, they transform lives.

This week, we received a powerful letter praising the work of two of our long-standing volunteers from a couple who are seeking asylum in the UK. Here is their story.

My wife and I are originally from Nigeria. We were forced to flee are militia killed my entire family and burned down our house and business. We were later captured and tortured for three days. I was separated from my wife, but I could hear her screams.

Ten years later, we are still trying to convince the Home Office that our ordeal was genuine.

One day when I was returning from court in 2011, a lucky wind blew a free street newspaper over my face and the front page held a story about the Refugee Council successfully supported a family with an almost impossible case.

As I was putting the paper into my bag, a lady ran to me claiming the papers actually belonged to her and that the wind blew it from her hands. I hurriedly copied the address of the Refugee Council before returning the papers to her, with thanks.

We immediately wrote an S.O.S. letter to the Refugee Council in plain long hand, giving a short story of our helpless situation. I had already attempted suicide three times, and felt hopeless and frustrated by the Home Office’s continuing rejection.

But then we received a phone call from a Refugee Council adviser, Jade, who said she would help us.

Because of Jade’s intervention, I was able to receive free prescriptions for medication for my post traumatic stress disorder. Marj, another Refugee Council volunteer, referred us to Freedom from Torture.

Both Jade and Marj offered us regular care and support, and we have put in fresh evidence for our asylum claim following our referral to Freedom From Torture.

We would especially like to thank Jade and Marj for their help, though we’re sure there are others like them within the Refugee Council, for their unyielding dedication to bettering our lives.

Even though we are still waiting for our papers, because of Jade and Marj’s support, we are now in a position to hope again.