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People Move

The Mirror’s Instagram project, #PeopleMove, highlights the stories of those seeking sanctuary in the UK. This week we heard from MoYah about why his childhood photos are so special to him.

He and his family fled Mozambique because of war.

As he explains: “These are my family photos from when we lived in Mozambique, it shows the great life we had there.

“But the war was very destructive, over two million were killed and many more displaced. My father was imprisoned and as soon as he was released we fled to Portugal.

“Racism was intense there, it was very violent. I was physically and verbally assaulted. We moved to the UK when I was 10.

“I did well at school and became a musician, rapper and educator. I was nominated to represent Portugal at Eurovision, it was the first time they had a rapper who was a refugee from Africa.”

A refugee who fled a brutal war and was separated from his sister has become a model employee.

Noham Adane came to the UK in 2022 as an asylum seeker after fleeing Sudan because of the civil war.

He lived in a Home Office-run hotel in Solihull, where he began volunteering with homeless organisations in Birmingham. He now works as a customer service assistant at Network Rail.

Noham was living in temporary accommodation before he was placed with a host family.

He says: “I make sure everyone gets home safely from the station. When I see the homeless in New Street I feel their pain, I treat them nicely, everyone has their own difficulties.”

Centre transforming young lives issues 'desperate' plea

A Liverpool sports centre, renowned for changing the lives of young people, has made a “desperate plea” for vital funds.

Greenbank Sports Academy provides facilities for 30,000 people, including 350 people with disabilities, via a fully-equipped gym and coaching.

But their main hall needs thousands of pounds of repair work and now they’re fundraising.

Ellie Curran, 22, is one of those calling for help. She uses a wheelchair because of her cerebral palsy but developed a love for sport and plays for Greenbank Powerchair FC because of the Academy.

She says: “The Greenbank team has a profound emphasis on who I am today.”

(Image: Refugee Week)

Each week we share dishes from our rich and diverse food scene. This week we share Barazek, Syrian cookies from Refugee Week.

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of white flour
• 1 tbsp of vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• Dash of vanilla
• 1 cup roasted sesame seeds
• 1 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios

Method 

1. Cream the butter until light and fluffy then add the sugar and mix.
2. Mix in the egg, vanilla and vinegar until everything is well incorporated.
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Take a piece of the dough as big or as small as you want your cookies to be.
5. Flatten the dough into a disc about 1/4 inch thick. The thinner the cookie - the crunchier. Press in a bowl of the roasted sesame seeds to coat one side. Then press the other side to coat with pistachio chunks.
6. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for about 20 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
7. You can brush on a little warmed syrup or honey to ensure the seeds and nuts stick well to each side of the cookie.

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