
Being a refugee has never been sexy, interesting or something to brag about. Life is hard. Being a refugee means leaving your home, your family and everything that you once knew, in search of a place of safety. I came to this country from Ethiopia when I was 11, so I know the sense of deep loss at leaving everything, and the sense of foreboding at starting again.
To reach the shores of Britain is like winning first prize in the lottery of life. For many it is a traumatic journey. Some are literally putting their lives in danger by crossing dangerous lands and boarding rickety boats. The Mediterranean has become a graveyard with no headstones or flowers as thousands of refugees tragically lose their lives there.