In October 2017 Rashid and Maria [1], two asylum seekers from Bangladesh and El Salvador, entered the first safe house in the UK created by Micro Rainbow, a house that is exclusively for LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees.
Micro Rainbow’s safe housing project was officially launched in November this year at the London office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. The international law firm has provided Micro Rainbow with over 230 hours of pro-bono legal advice since February 2016.
When they come to the UK many LGBTQI asylum seekers are still not safe. Maria said:
“I suffered physical and sexual harassment on a regular basis in the accommodation I was given as an asylum seeker. Someone threw a pot at me once. I just could not sleep properly, I was always on the lookout for someone to try to hurt me”.
Similarly, Rashid was homeless and slept rough for several months.
Micro Rainbow’s Founder and CEO, Sebastian Rocca, said:
“Homosexuality is criminalised in over 70 countries and more than 1000 people from these countries seek asylum in the UK every year. MRI already supports over 150 LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees each year and provides them with vital social inclusion activities, peer support groups, and employability programmes. The housing project was the missing link in Micro Rainbow’s holistic approach to integration and we are thrilled that the first safe house has finally opened in the UK”.
Maria added:
“The first thing I did when I arrived at Micro Rainbow’s LGBTQI safe house was crying of relief. I then unpacked my dresses and high heel shoes. I had not been able to even look at them for months”.
Moud Goba, Micro Rainbow’s Housing Project Manager said:
“Maria claimed asylum over a year ago and is still waiting for a decision. Rashid had his asylum interview two weeks ago; he waited more than a year before he was given a date for his asylum application. They still have a tough process to go through, but they don’t have to worry about where to sleep anymore or being hurt at home. In Micro Rainbow, they have found someone who will go through the asylum journey with them”.
Robert Powell, Head of Pro Bono & CSR at Weil added:
“Providing pro bono legal advice to MRI on this truly pioneering project has been a joyful experience. It’s given our lawyers intellectually stimulating work with a real tangible and positive social outcome in providing a safe place to stay for LGBTQI refugees. We look forward to helping Micro Rainbow open more safe houses in 2018.”
The first house has space for four people. A second safe house has been secured and is due to open in December 2017 and it is planned to open several more in 2018. Micro Rainbow plans to provide safe housing to over 150 LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees by 2019.
