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We are a community-led organisation supporting young refugees from the

Horn of Africa.

WHO WE ARE

Da'aro Youth Project was established in 2018 by members of the Eritrean community in London in response to the deaths of a number of teenage Eritreans by suicide. We work to support young people arriving in the UK alone from the Horn of Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia).

 

Eritreans and Ethiopians (taken together) were the largest nationality group of unaccompanied minors to arrive in the UK in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Sudanese minors were the largest nationality group to arrive in the UK in 2020. Asylum-seeking children and young adults from the Horn of Africa arrive here after traumatic journeys through the Sahara Desert, Libya, the Mediterranean Sea and after crossing borders in Europe, such as in Calais. Once here, young people often struggle to adapt to new lives separated from their families, and find that navigating the complex asylum system can be stressful and traumatic. They face social isolation, discrimination and sometimes even hostility.

 

We aim to promote the wellbeing of these migrant young people living in the UK, through direct support, through building bridges in the Eritrean community and through advocating for changes to unfair and discriminatory systems which undermine their wellbeing. We believe that building sustainable relationships of trust and support within the Eritrean community is the best way to empower young people and enable them to overcome their marginalisation within society.

WHAT WE DO

We want newly arrived asylum-seeking young people to feel at home and to know they have someone to turn to in a crisis.

Towards this aim, we currently run two projects for young asylum-seekers and refugees: a weekly youth club and casework support, both involving the Eritrean community in London.

 

Injera Club – our weekly youth club in Streatham – is a fun and lively space where young Eritrean, Ethiopian, Somali and Sudanese children and young people can relax, play games, socialise and eat homely food. From this space, we work with young people to identify if they have support needs and respond to these accordingly. Integral to all this work is the focus on advocacy and enabling young people to advocate for themselves to make changes.

Casework Support – is for those young people who are in crisis or dealing with a significant problem and want assistance. Through trauma-informed, intensive casework we identify the needs of young people, advocate for their interests within the care and asylum system, and connect young people with the services, opportunities and support they need to reach their goals.

We are also advocate on behalf of our community by campaigning on issues that affect them. We are particularly focused on issues that impact the mental health and wellbeing of unaccompanied young people. 

 

We are a young organisation and are looking towards the future with plans to do more. See how you can get involved.

OUR TEAM
OUR FUNDERS

Who are we?

 

Our team includes trustees, members, staff, and volunteers. ​To find out more click here.

Our work is supported by a range of Charitable Trusts, Foundations and individuals. ​To find out more click here.

ANNUAL REPORT

See our 2022/23 Annual Report for more information about the

work of Da'aro Youth Project. 

 

English Version

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