United Kingdom. Charles Elliott, 61, and wife Catharine, 55, are hosting Hussein, 20, a refugee from Ethiopia in London. Photo: Aubrey Wade / UNHCR
Hussein took a perilous journey to safety; Charles and Catharine are helping him move forward in London.
Charles Elliott, 61, and wife Catharine, 55, have been hosting Hussein, 20, from Ethiopia since October 2016. Hussein fled because his father is a political prisoner.
Charles’ parents were refugees from Germany, so hosting people in need of international protection resonates strongly with him. ‘The big smiles and gratitude, it’s beautiful to live with. You just learn how to communicate even if you don’t speak the same language,’ Charles said.
‘It’s very difficult to resettle,’ he added.
Catharine has raised two boys who have now moved out. ‘The difference between London-born and Ethiopia-born teenage boys is minimal. Teenage boys the world over are the same. They don’t realise sheets need changing and that laundry doesn’t walk away on its own,’ she said. ‘You just have to train them in the nicest way.’
Hussein said his journey has been extremely difficult but he is happy in the UK.
‘I often wake up scared because when I escaped through Libya they were shooting people in front of me,’ he said. ‘It was too much. Sometimes I think too much, get sad, and can’t sleep. But generally I am happy now. I enjoy class, I want to study, learn more and maybe one day become a neurologist.’
Hussein, Charles and Catharine were matched by Refugees at Home.
Portrait by Aubrey Wade
Assisted by Stjepan Sedlar
Text by Nadine Alfa
This story is part of the No Stranger Place series, which tells stories of refugees and locals living together in Europe. The project was initiated by Aubrey Wade, Sarah Böttcher and Stjepan Sedlar, and developed in partnership with UNHCR and Nadine Alfa.
