#49 WAST Women Asylum Seekers Together - FiLiA Conference 2019

WAST (Women Asylum Seekers Together) performing at the FiLiA Conference 2019.

STILL WE RISE

WAST roadshow - “Still WE Rise”- is written, performed by our members of WAST and directed by Magdaline Bartlette. The roadshow is made up of drama, song and poetry performances which show the reality through our own experiences of the trauma that we and so many other women seeking asylum have to face living under immigration rules in the UK. The roadshow also shows how together we can give each other strength and hope. WAST will showcase an abridged version of the roadshow with songs from some members of their renowned choir.

WAST is made up of women seeking asylum in Greater Manchester, many of us are under threat of deportation and are destitute. We share our experiences, empower and support one another whilst fighting for our rights and raising awareness about the issues that force women to seek international protection and the effects of the injustices experienced through the UK immigration system.

We are women of all ages, nationalities, ethnicities, sexual orientation and disability. We speak many languages, practice many religions and accommodate for all.
The WAST choir go into the community to reach out to people who have never met anyone in the asylum system and think we are given homes and free mobiles and don't know how we suffer and also that we are women just like them, who care about our kids and just want to be safe and free.

In 2015 the Women Asylum Seekers Together WAST choir were recognized for their commitment to the rights of women by the Liberty who awarded them the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award. The WAST choir continue to sing and use their voices to raise awareness of the challenges they and other women face.

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Listen here (Transcript below):

Transcript:

Magdaline – A few quick things, three women could not make it today. One could not leave her home because of the stress of the asylum system. Two could not come because their son had a racial attack at school. There have been many tears throughout this whole process to get here today. People have lost family or cannot see them, can you imagine that? and a lot of stress. As women we get on and do what we need to do. Today, we’re not used to using mics but today we’re going to use these mics to make sure the message is heard. The women today need a lot of energy. So follow me to give these women some energy.

(Magdaline gets the audience to shout ‘Energy, Energy, Energy’ followed by applause.)

WAST woman –

Morning is here, looking out of my window I see the rays of the sun uplifting my spirit

I get dressed ready to go to WAST

The rays of the sun uplift my spirit

But my mind ponders. What to expect?

I get on the bus. When I look around me, everybody is busy reading their newspapers

Still very happy as I get into WAST

Come 11 o’clock, as always, introductions begin

Followed by sadness

One of us is in detention

A sad memory I was reminded of

I too, when I first came to WAST

Helpless, homeless and depressed

The sun rays no longer shine any more

but my sisters

They do what they know best

And together

Still we rise (repeated in unison with other WAST women)

(Applause)

Song by WAST women –

When we came to this country

We were new

Now we are familiar with a system with another view

We are creating from our

To come together in Manchester

To share our knowledge and experience –

(Call) Zimbabwe, Congo, Kenya

We are here today

Nigeria, Iran,

WAST is here today

WAST women – Many of us came countries torn apart by conflict, imprisonment and torture.

Many from Zimbabwe, Congo and Iran, terrified of the prospect of being returned home. We are living without hope, living in fear, without dignity

WAST Choir – in the UK. Destitution.

A role play

Madame – You are looking for a job?

WW – Yes Madame

Madame – You are going to look after my child but you don’t have a room to sleep. You sleep around the cot. I’m going to work, look after my child and cook for her.

WW – Thank you Madame

Madame – What are you doing to my child? I’m calling the police now –

WW – No, No,

(Singing)

Oh my home, when shall I see my home?

When shall I see my native land?

I shall never forget my home.

(In French/Creole)

‘’ A pretty girl like you, what’s wrong with you when I have a big house, there will be a TV and everything and you can sleep as much as you like and eat 3 times a day and wash yourself. Instead of staying out you can stay with me’’

He thinks that I am so beautiful. I have been homeless for 3 days. I have nowhere to live, no hot water, no warm house no food. Now I am homeless you want me to go home with you. I shouldn’t go home with him, it’s risky. He’s got a warm house; he has warm food. I’m going to take the risk and I’m going to go home with him.

Now I’m pregnant and he wants me to leave, where am I going to go? It wasn’t my choice to be in this country. Sometimes I stay at home and start thinking about my family, my Mother, my father, my sisters and it makes me so sad and I start crying.

WW – Just imagine if you leave your families and friends in the UK and being made homeless in a foreign country.

WAST Women’s Choir Singing

Far away from my home, far away.

(repeated in harmonies)

Also in other languages.

Imadeh – Good morning everyone, we have someone here who has been going through the asylum system for over 5 years. She does not wish to be named. She is here to tell you the new services asylum seekers have to use called ‘migrant help’

What is Migrant Help?

WW - Migrant Help is a centre built by the Home Office to look after asylum seekers in their accommodation.

Im – How does Migrant Help work?

WW – When you have a problem with your house, you call Migrant Help, it takes all day to get them and when you get them they tell you it’s going to take 21 days to be fixed but it never takes that. Mine has not been fixed for 3 months yet.

Im – How does Migrant Help affect you?

WW – They make me so depressed. I am so stressed right now. I feel so sad. I have no help from Migrant Help.

Im – We have just heard about how Migrant Help is adding to the stress of people going through the asylum system with delays that are not meeting their deadlines and treating people like they don’t matter.

Choir

Immigration Bill

(Sing in their languages.)

WW – An immigration Bill that does not care about children.