{"id":26569,"date":"2025-10-08T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alliance-scotland.org.uk\/humansofscotland\/?p=26569"},"modified":"2025-09-30T14:49:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:49:30","slug":"fatmas-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alliance-scotland.org.uk\/humansofscotland\/fatmas-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Fatma’s story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I was forced to flee my home country in 2017 and in the process was separated from my daughters and husband. Being apart from them and living with the complex trauma that I experienced in my home country, left me feeling anxious, depressed and isolated. I was really struggling with my mental health but then in 2022 my GP referred me to a Community Link Worker (CLW).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially he introduced me to the Maryhill Integration Network, the Joyous Choir and the Women\u2019s Group they have in my local area. Through these groups I had the opportunity to meet new friends and to talk to people who shared some of my experiences. He also linked me up with an organisation that would help to reunite me with my family. It was a long process but my CLW was there to support me through it all. In 2023, almost 6 years after we were separated, I was reunited with my family. I am so grateful to have them here and I took them to meet my CLW, to thank him for his support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My husband was keen to build a life here, we wanted to integrate and contribute to society here and it was important for him to improve his English. Our CLW helped him to apply for courses to learn English but, knowing about his love of football, he also contacted the local amateur and community football club, United Glasgow. They support players of all genders, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, socio-economic positions and immigration statuses, aiming to integrate them into a safe, community led environment with a focus on improving their mental and physical health and wellbeing. Our CLW initially supported my husband to join these training sessions until he built up the confidence to go to them alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My daughters are settled into school and my eldest is looking for a part-time job at the weekends. My husband got a job as well but due to a delay in some paperwork, he was unable to accept the position. He is very hopeful that it will be resolved quickly and he can begin to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since I arrived here I have been living in a one bedroom flat but last year our CLW helped us to apply for new accommodation. The letters of support and the guidance he gave us with our application helped us to get a bigger flat in September last year. We want to make a good life for ourselves and our children here in Glasgow. Thanks to our CLW I am now positive and focussed on the future. I don\u2019t know where we would be without the support he has given us. I have been reunited with my family, we have a new home and he has helped us to integrate in the local community. He is always there for us, to listen to us and support us. We really cannot thank him enough. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Fatma’s story is part of the latest Humans of Scotland publication – Community Links Worker Edition. The book is available to read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Read all Humans of Scotland stories here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was forced to flee my home country in 2017 and in the process was separated from my daughters and husband. Being apart from them and living with the complex trauma that I experienced in my home country, left me feeling anxious, depressed and isolated. I was really struggling with my mental health but then … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":26571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"hos-category":[867],"humans_tags":[828],"area_of_work":[781,776],"strategic_priority":[813],"class_list":["post-26569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","hos-category-humans-of-scotland-community-links-worker-edition","humans_tags-services-and-support","area_of_work-community-links-worker-programme","area_of_work-humans-of-scotland","strategic_priority-voice-of-lived-experience"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFatma's story - Humans of Scotland<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alliance-scotland.org.uk\/humansofscotland\/fatmas-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fatma's story - Humans of Scotland\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I was forced to flee my home country in 2017 and in the process was separated from my daughters and husband. 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