Enfield Refugee Welcome is helping to welcome a small number of Syrian families to the borough of Enfield.
But why should Enfield take any refugees?
The war in Syria began in 2011, devastating towns and cities and spreading terror and fear. Around 4 -5 million Syrians have fled the country and over 6 million have left their homes but are in the country still. This is the largest refugee crisis the world has faced since the Second World War.
The vast majority of the refugees now live in the region, with Turkey alone hosting 2.7 million Syrian refugees and Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon also helping host millions. The refugees often live in overcrowded camps or private houses, struggling to survive with no savings left and no way to make a living. Most have faced terrible conditions in Syria which gave them no choice but to leave.
Facing no future for their families and struggling to meet even the most basic needs in the nearby countries many refugees have then made the dangerous choice to attempt to cross the sea to Europe. Thousands of people including children have died making this desperate trip.
The UK government has promised to welcome 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK to provide safety to some of the refugees most in need. Enfield Refugee Welcome is working with the council and Citizens UK to help welcome a small number of refugees fleeing Syria’s war to our borough.