Right to Refuge: a SolidariTee podcast

In this episode, SolidariTee CEO Alexa Netty speaks to Nantina Tsekeri, head of Defence for Children International (DCI) Greece, one of SolidariTee's grant recipients. They discuss DCI Greece's recent report, 'In The Shadows', which analyses the challenges by accompanied children and their mothers on the move in Greece, and the importance of legal and psychosocial aid in providing support to these groups.

We are grateful to Nantina for her participation and the insights she provided about these issues.

To read DCI Greece's report: https://www.defenceforchildrengreece.org/_files/ugd/936582_475c9487fd97426d84e2341f61e52647.pdf

https://www.solidaritee.org.uk

IG @teesofsolidarity

Twitter @SolidariTeeUK

Presented by Alexa Netty, SolidariTee CEO

Produced and edited by Jenny Frost

Music by Efeloji

In this episode we had the privilege of speaking with Nasrin Parvaz, from the Freedom from Torture Survivors Speak OUT Network. Nasrin is an Iranian activist, author and artist, who was imprisoned in Iran for eight years before coming to the UK as a refugee thirty years ago. Nasrin tells us parts of her story, talks about her books and her artwork, and reminds us of the urgency of showing solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers.

We are grateful to Nasrin for her time and openness in recording this podcast with us. We would also like to thank the team at Freedom from Torture for facilitating this podcast taking place. 

To learn more about Nasrin: http://www.nasrinparvaz.org/web/ 

To order Nasrin's books: http://www.nasrinparvaz.org/web/category/books/ 

Learn more about Freedom from Torture: https://www.freedomfromtorture.org/ 

Freedom from Torture Survivors Speak OUT: https://www.freedomfromtorture.org/what-we-do/survivor-activism/survivors-speak-out

https://www.solidaritee.org.uk

IG @teesofsolidarity

Twitter @SolidariTeeUK

Presented by Alexa Netty, SolidariTee CEO

Produced and edited by Jenny Frost

Music by Efeloji

In this episode we speak to SolidariTee's CEO, Lexi Netty, about SolidariTee's 2023 Week of Action theme, which is Shifting the Spotlight - recentring and spotlighting refugee narratives in contexts or areas of the world which often receive little attention from the media. We talk about the importance of the work of SolidariTee and the NGOs we support in Greece, as well as discussing refugee issues in Venezuela, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and beyond. 

https://www.solidaritee.org.uk

IG @teesofsolidarity

Twitter @SolidariTeeUK

Presented, produced and edited by Jenny Frost

Music by Efeloji

In this episode, Newcastle Team Lead Emma talks to Asma Patel, the director of Endless Medical Advantage (EMA). EMA is an organisation working to provide healthcare services and humanitarian relief support for refugee and vulnerable communities across the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. They discuss EMA, the refugee context in Lebanon, volunteer tourism and more. 

More from SolidariTee:

https://www.solidaritee.org.uk

IG @teesofsolidarity

Twitter @SolidariTeeUK

Hosted by Emma Pallent

Produced and edited by Sophie Cowell

Music by Efeloji

In this episode we speak to Amos Schonfield, the founder of Our Second Home, a youth movement providing residential experiences and leadership training to help refugees and migrants flourish. This episode goes alongside SolidariTee's careers event held in October about careers in activism and in the refugee sector. Amos talked with us about the development of his career, the joys and challenges of founding your own organisation, and studying migration at university. 

Learn more: 

https://www.oursecondhome.org.uk/home 

https://www.solidaritee.org.uk

IG @teesofsolidarity

Twitter @SolidariTeeUK

Presented, produced and edited by Jenny Frost

Music by Efeloji

In this episode, SolidariTee President Louisa and CEO Lexi discuss the recent flooding in Pakistan. Lexi works on secondment at the Disasters Emergency Committee, which recently launched the Pakistan Floods Appeal. They discuss the impact of the flooding, the lack of media attention, climate migration, and more.

Lexi and Louisa were joined at several points in their discussion by some friendly local dogs – apologies for the background noise!

Learn more at:

https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-2022-monsoon-floods-situation-report-no-6-16-september-2022

https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-2022-monsoon-floods-situation-report-no-9-14-october-2022

https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/pakistan-floods-appeal

More from SolidariTee:

https://www.solidaritee.org.uk

IG @teesofsolidarity

Twitter @SolidariTeeUK

Produced and edited by Sophie Cowell

Music by Efeloji

In this episode we speak to Stuart Meyers, LGBTQI+ Asylum Support Worker at Rainbow migration. Rainbow Migration gives free and confidential legal advice to LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum. They also provide emotional support to those who are going through the asylum process and help them with accessing housing and health services. If you need support, please get in touch via this link. We discuss the issues in the UK asylum system, and how this impacts those seeking asylum for reasons relating to their gender identity or sexual orientation. 

If you’d like to learn more about the work that Rainbow Migration does, feel free to subscribe to their newsletter or check out their social media: @rainbowmigration 

Add your name to call for an end to LGBTQI+ detention here: Handraiser

CN/TW- mentions of discrimination, abuse, homophobia and transphobia. 

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not reflect the views or positions of SolidariTee. 

Editing- Jess Clifford

Music- Efeloji

In this episode we discuss the experiences of LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers in Greece, and the work Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid do to support them. Abby Field from Fenix works in the family reunification team, assisting individuals with their applications to be reunited with family members in other European Union countries under the Dublin III Regulation. We discuss the Eurocentric expectations of LGBTQ+ individuals to conform to harmful stereotypes, and the number of issues they face during the asylum process.

TW/CN: mentions of homophobia, transphobia, sexual violence 

Fenix are currently one of SolidariTee's grant recipients. To learn more about Fenix go to: https://www.fenixaid.org

Editing- Jess Clifford

Music- Efeloji

This episode, we talk to Lydia Siapardani from the Irida Center about the work they do to support women in the area. The centre aims to provide support to women in all areas, offering protection services, legal aid, education, recreational activities, social connections and emergency response. The discussion centres around safe spaces for women, the limitations of resources, and the issues these women face.

This episode was originally recorded in December 2021. After two years of lockdown this was the first winter Irida Women's Centre remained open, continuing to offer essential support to refugee, asylum-seeking, migrant and local women.

In 2022, Irida successfully re-established Child Safe Space, for children of pre'school age. It also launched the Irida Solidarity Free Shop, to provide women and their families who are not eligible to receive cash assistance with decent access to food items and non-food necessities.

To find out more about Irida and its latest developments, you can follow them on instagram @iridacentre

https://www.iridacenter.org

Edited by Jess Clifford

Music by Efeloji

In this episode, Outreach Director Izzy and Team SolidariTee Director Jess discuss the importance of a gendered lens when considering refugee experiences. Discussions focus around the impact of gender at different stages of displacement, and the issues occurring when there is a lack of gendered consideration.

CN/TW- mentions of FGM, sexual assault, transphobia, rape and violence

At SolidariTee, we want to raise awareness of issues which affect refugees and welcome the voices of those with lived experiences. Please get in touch if you are a displaced person who would like to speak on any of the issues we cover here. Over the next few episodes we will be speaking to experts and our volunteers to unpack a variety of issues impacting different groups of refugees and welcome external thought - just message us on our instagram or Facebook if you'd like to offer feedback.

Further reading: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yubObAmtxdnp3JVUGnmRmXNMcLfrSRSpioikiUnbfDU/edit

Editing- Jess Clifford

Music- Efeloji