Articles

‘The government needs to protect Filipino nurses’

THURSDAY 13 JANUARY, 2022 Here is a reflection from Mara Sese, one of our Ambassadors in Glasgow, who writes about the situation for Filipino migrants in the UK. Filipinos come to the United Kingdom for lots of different reasons, for instance, to study or because of work opportunities. They work in a variety of sectors, including hospitality, engineering, accounting - and healthcare. Indeed, an estimated 40,000 Filipinos are employed by the NHS. During the pandemic there was an increase of direct hiring from the different countries to fill in the…

THURSDAY 13 JANUARY, 2022 Here is a reflection from Mara Sese, one of our Ambassadors in Glasgow, who writes about the situation for Filipino migrants in the UK. Filipinos come…

'Rest in power Desmond Tutu'

TUESDAY 11 JANUARY, 2022 Migrant Voice member Collette Anthonette Francis reflects on the death of Desmond Tutu, a South African cleric and human rights activist, who passed away at the end of last year. It is with great sadness that we lost Desmond Tutu at the end of last year. Desmond Tutu was pivotal in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. He was uncompromising and inspired people from all backgrounds to resist inequalities everywhere at all times. "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little…

TUESDAY 11 JANUARY, 2022 Migrant Voice member Collette Anthonette Francis reflects on the death of Desmond Tutu, a South African cleric and human rights activist, who passed away at the…

'One small migrant-led organisation can change lives, shift policy'

What can a small under-funded, under-staffed migrants’ NGO do in a world of state power, multinational corporations and a hostile environment? It’s just a minnow in an ocean, I hear you say. And, yes, picking up the dry-as-dust Migrant Voice recent annual report for the year ended March 2021, I ask myself, “Why bother to read this? It will be a heap of facts and figures and I’ll just get depressed wondering how on earth a small organisation can make an impact in an intolerant world?” My bad, as they…

What can a small under-funded, under-staffed migrants’ NGO do in a world of state power, multinational corporations and a hostile environment? It’s just a minnow in an ocean, I hear…

Beyond the Borders Bill

THURSDAY 9 DECEMBER, 2021 It’s tiring to have to keep pointing out the obvious truth, to have to convince fellow humans who happen to sit in parliament about something as fundamental as the value of human life - mine, yours, this other life that happens to have been caught up in a war or is running from being a prisoner of conscience in a jail from which no one emerges alive, this person with a survival instinct that tells them to get to safety. One life lost should be enough…

THURSDAY 9 DECEMBER, 2021 It’s tiring to have to keep pointing out the obvious truth, to have to convince fellow humans who happen to sit in parliament about something as…

On this bitterly cold night

FRIDAY 26 NOVEMBER, 2021 I did feel numb when I heard the devastating yet predictable news of a tragedy, that at least 27 people died while trying to cross the Channel to seek safety in the UK. A tragedy that is purely man-made: the UK government could establish a safe and legal route for people to travel to claim asylum here. Scrolling down Twitter distractedly, I saw a notice for an emergency demo later that day, organised by Sisters Uncut. On this bitterly cold night, I found a huge crowd…

FRIDAY 26 NOVEMBER, 2021 I did feel numb when I heard the devastating yet predictable news of a tragedy, that at least 27 people died while trying to cross the…

London Migration Film Festival includes first musical in 2021 programme

Meet Lina From Lima, who’s about to return to Peru after 10 years as a housekeeper to a rich Chilean family. She’s finally going to see her son again, who has grown in her absence from a small child to an adolescent. No, it’s not another grim film about migrant labour. It’s a gripping, funny musical. It’s part of the London Migration Film Festival, which is run by a group of London-based women “each holding academic interest in and personal experiences of migration”. “Lina From Lima is totally subversive,” says collective member Laura Stahnke,…

Meet Lina From Lima, who’s about to return to Peru after 10 years as a housekeeper to a rich Chilean family. She’s finally going to see her son again, who has grown…

Meet Elham Fardad, the campaigner unlocking young migrants’ potential

THURSDAY 4 NOVEMBER, 2021 Elham Fardad thought she had “done alright”, as she puts it. Originally from Iran, she had lived in the UK since she was 13 years old, and had now worked successfully as a Finance Director in large companies for 23 years. Things hadn’t always been easy, and in her first few years in the country, she had faced her own challenges: she had to learn a new language, had changed three state schools in three years, and her family had broken up. At 18, she was…

THURSDAY 4 NOVEMBER, 2021 Elham Fardad thought she had “done alright”, as she puts it. Originally from Iran, she had lived in the UK since she was 13 years old,…

‘Here, you can play for everyone in the world’

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER, 2021 Syrian musician Basel Saleh speaks to Migrant Voice about his career so far, and and his plans to make us all fall in love with the oud - one of the world’s oldest instruments. Destruction forced Basel Saleh to Britain, death brought him into contact with musicians at a London street party, and determination is enabling him to carve out a musical career in a new country. The destruction was in Syria, the death was that of British MP Jo Cox, and the determination is evident…

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER, 2021 Syrian musician Basel Saleh speaks to Migrant Voice about his career so far, and and his plans to make us all fall in love with the…

Florin’s story: “I am proud to run a successful immigrant-led business”

MONDAY 18 OCTOBER, 2021 My name is Florin Mandache, I was born in Iasi, Romania, and have lived in Scotland since 2000. Since my student days, I have loved to travel and, in the summer of 2000, was working in Malaga, Spain unlocking mobile phones. While living there, I would go to a local nightclub with my flatmates. One night I met Carolyn, who would later become my wife. The two of us just clicked, and decided that when Carolyn went back Scotland that we should try to continue the…

MONDAY 18 OCTOBER, 2021 My name is Florin Mandache, I was born in Iasi, Romania, and have lived in Scotland since 2000. Since my student days, I have loved to…

How thinking out of the box raised migrant voices in the People’s History Museum

A five-woman “community programme team” has shown how a museum can highlight migration by thinking out of the box – literally. “Wars, Trade, Empire and Slavery” got a brief mention in a small box in a permanent exhibit, a large mind map on the wall of the People’s History Museum in Manchester about how British people won the right to vote. There was no explanation and no link to other exhibits. The programme community team – Jo Yee Cheung, Monika Titãne, Agnes Fough, Muliana Adjamian, Einas Khaleel, who have lived in eight…

A five-woman “community programme team” has shown how a museum can highlight migration by thinking out of the box – literally. “Wars, Trade, Empire and Slavery” got a brief mention…

Articles

Articles

‘The government needs to protect Filipino nurses’

THURSDAY 13 JANUARY, 2022 Here is a reflection from Mara Sese, one of our Ambassadors in Glasgow, who writes about the situation for Filipino migrants in the UK. Filipinos come…

'Rest in power Desmond Tutu'

TUESDAY 11 JANUARY, 2022 Migrant Voice member Collette Anthonette Francis reflects on the death of Desmond Tutu, a South African cleric and human rights activist, who passed away at the…

'One small migrant-led organisation can change lives, shift policy'

What can a small under-funded, under-staffed migrants’ NGO do in a world of state power, multinational corporations and a hostile environment? It’s just a minnow in an ocean, I hear…

Beyond the Borders Bill

THURSDAY 9 DECEMBER, 2021 It’s tiring to have to keep pointing out the obvious truth, to have to convince fellow humans who happen to sit in parliament about something as…

On this bitterly cold night

FRIDAY 26 NOVEMBER, 2021 I did feel numb when I heard the devastating yet predictable news of a tragedy, that at least 27 people died while trying to cross the…

London Migration Film Festival includes first musical in 2021 programme

Meet Lina From Lima, who’s about to return to Peru after 10 years as a housekeeper to a rich Chilean family. She’s finally going to see her son again, who has grown…

Meet Elham Fardad, the campaigner unlocking young migrants’ potential

THURSDAY 4 NOVEMBER, 2021 Elham Fardad thought she had “done alright”, as she puts it. Originally from Iran, she had lived in the UK since she was 13 years old,…

‘Here, you can play for everyone in the world’

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER, 2021 Syrian musician Basel Saleh speaks to Migrant Voice about his career so far, and and his plans to make us all fall in love with the…

Florin’s story: “I am proud to run a successful immigrant-led business”

MONDAY 18 OCTOBER, 2021 My name is Florin Mandache, I was born in Iasi, Romania, and have lived in Scotland since 2000. Since my student days, I have loved to…

How thinking out of the box raised migrant voices in the People’s History Museum

A five-woman “community programme team” has shown how a museum can highlight migration by thinking out of the box – literally. “Wars, Trade, Empire and Slavery” got a brief mention…

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