Refugee Week in Bradford: Kafa Al-Mghrabi from Syria

To mark Refugee Week, the Telegraph & Argus has spoken to people who were forced to flee their homelands and have since found sanctuary in Bradford.

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Today, we hear from Kafa Al-Mghrabi. She is from Syria and lives near Haworth Road with her husband and two children.

“I was a teacher in my country,” says Kafa.

“Before the war, everything was fine. Then suddenly, everything was lost.”

Kafa never imagined that her home would be ravaged by a deadly civil war which has now lasted over a decade.

She is from Homs, Syria’s third-biggest city and one of the worst affected.

Her family fled to Jordan in 2012, before moving to Bradford three years later.

“The main reason we left was for our children’s safety. We always put them before ourselves,” says Kafa, 51.

Her children, who are now studying for their A-Levels and GCSEs, were still in primary school when the family left.

“At the beginning it was very, very hard,” says Kafa.

“We were living in peace, then came the bombing. There was also a lack of food and water.

Children remove rubble in the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo, Syria. January 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File).

“When we fled, the kids kept asking ‘where are we now?’ and ‘where is our auntie, our uncle, our grandad?’

“It soon became clear to them that there was a war going on. By the time they understood, they had already become used to it.”

Kafa studied English literature in Syria and was an English teacher.

She was therefore already fluent in the language when, with the help of Horton Housing Association, her family moved to Great Horton.

They now live near Haworth Road and she volunteers at Girlington Community Centre, supporting others who came to Bradford as refugees.

She also works as an interpreter, having gained a Level 3 qualification in community interpreting.

“When we got here, at first, it was strange,” she says.

“But we’d heard about this country, and we were excited – it’s Great Britain,” Kafa adds, putting an emphasis on the word ‘great’ as she speaks.

The war in Syria has led to a huge exodus of refugees

“I like Bradford, it’s unique. There are many nationalities here.

“I like the South Asian community – but it’s not just Pakistani people, not just English people and not just Arabs here. It’s mixed, and I like that.

“My children get great support at school. I’m thankful to everyone we’ve met here.

“I like to help people too, that’s why I volunteer.

“Some refugees have poor English, making it hard to adapt. So Alhamdulilah [‘praise be to god’ in Arabic], it’s a blessing to help them.”

Kafa adds that she finds anti-refugee sentiment frustrating.

“People don’t understand that it’s not easy for refugees,” she says.

“Please respect refugees – it’s not their choice. We would love to have come here as visitors – not as refugees – to see Britain and these nice people.

“But I haven’t experienced racism in Bradford personally. Others have, but there’s very little here because there are many different cultures.

“We hope to make a difference to society, we don’t want to depend on others. We are indebted to Britain because they accepted us.”

Kafa remains concerned about those she left behind, however.

“I have one brother and three sisters in Syria,” she explains.

“I miss them. They have no electricity and everything is very, very expensive. It’s hard to find a job and to eat.

“I still call them, but only when they have internet – sometimes they don’t.

“We like Britain, but we dream to go home, if the situation gets better.”

An aerial view of the town of Afis, Syria, taken in 2020 (Photo by Omar HAJ KADOUR/AF)

I asked Kafa if she could share any family photos from Syria, from before the war.

“This gives me pain in my heart – I don’t have any,” she responded.

“When we left for Jordan, we thought it would only be a few days and we’d come back.

“We left everything at home.”

Despite the turmoil, Kafa remains hopeful for the future.

“Alhamdulilah, we live in peace now,” she says.

“The main thing for anyone is their children being safe and happy.

“I’m dreaming that, Insha’Allah [‘god-willing’], my children go to university.

“Syrian people are very flexible, anywhere they go, they live and work.

“I’m thankful to everyone here and I wish we all live together in peace, all the time.”