by Eleni Kepelian, JustCitizens member
Last Sunday I took part in the Edinburgh Kiltwalk 2022. I took on the Wee Wander challenge to raise funds for JustRight Scotland’s legal helplines which support migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. JustRight Scotland is a charity close to my heart: their staff members trained me as an EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) volunteer adviser, allowing me to support up to 55 European nationals living in Central Scotland, to secure their immigration status and stay in the UK. They were the ones who set up a range of free, confidential legal helplines and surgeries, providing legal advice to people who would otherwise struggle to access justice.
They were the ones who have set up the JustCitizens initiative, bringing together migrants coming from all backgrounds to raise awareness on belonging and social citizenship in Scotland, producing leaflets with practical information about accessing NHS services for newcomers in many languages.
To belong. To feel like you’ re part of something and being taken care of…Isn’t that what everyone is looking for?
As I’m writing this blog, reflecting on my own experience as a migrant arriving in Scotland, and then the experiences of my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather as migrants, I can notice a pattern unravelling in front of my eyes: displacement.
The pain of having to leave the known, to embrace the unknown. The pain of not fitting in. The agonies of having to travel away to find a place where you belong.
The hopes. The risks. The doubts. The leap of faith that is migration.
4 years ago, I took that leap of faith. I held my hopes high and dived into the unknown. I risked. I stumbled. I fell. And then I stood up. Till I reached my destination: home.
Scotland is my home now. That’s my thought, as I’m crossing the finishing line at Murrayfield stadium.
Being a newcomer to an unknown place, hoping to fit in, will always be daunting.
Getting a second chance to rebuild your life in a new place is overwhelming.
Finding someone to stand by your side till you’re able to stand on your feet is just priceless.
Please support JustRight Scotland with a donation: https://bit.ly/donateJRS
