RENOWNED artist Oliver Jeffers was at the Long Gallery in Stormont this week to launch artwork made by himself and aslyum seeker children who are living in the North.

The project called ‘Seen’ was organised by South Belfast MLA Kate Nicholl along with Anaka’s Women’s Collective and Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR).

The collaborative artwork aimed to show how the asylum seeker children need to be seen, not as asylum seekers but ordinary children like everyone with their own hopes and dreams. The portraits featured a sketch of a young person by Oliver Jeffers with the young person holding a picture of their dreams.

Some of the dreams of these young people are the same dreams every child has like playing football or being a pop singer but more often than not they were dreams which every child here has access to, except for child asylum seekers.

These dreams were being able to go to school and receive an education. This is something which is often denied to these young people, in contravention of Article 28 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. Children of primary school age have had success getting into local schools, but opportunities for Year 11 and 12 children were extremely limited.

Kate Nicholl said even though the Assembly was down because of the DUP boycott she still wanted to see change so vulnerable young people could get access to education and fulfil their dreams.

ART: Some of the artwork by young asylum seekers and artist Oliver Jeffers
3Gallery

ART: Some of the artwork by young asylum seekers and artist Oliver Jeffers

Two young women spoke at the event describing how difficult it has been for them to be able to get a place in the education system. 

Rawan from Syria spoke of how she had been left in limbo after moving to Belfast and was unable to get access to further educate to achieve her dream of becoming a lawyer.

Rawan said: “This issue is currently not getting any attention. We know what our dreams are and what we want to do but our lives are on standstill right now. I have been here one year now and I am having to just sit at home and it is affecting our mental health. A lot of us have experienced depression and I have experienced depression. I want to get an education because it is so important but I am not getting to have one, I am from Syria and have been here for over a year so far.”

Fatma from Gaza spoke next and gave an emotional speech.

“I came here from Gaza in Palestine when I was 14-years-old. When I came here I thought I would be able to start school. It was very hard living in Gaza and very difficult because of the war. I thought when I came here I would be able to achieve my dream and goals but there is no opportunity here for us to go to school or college.”

EDUCATION: Fatma from Gaza and Rawan from Syria want to be able to access education
3Gallery

EDUCATION: Fatma from Gaza and Rawan from Syria want to be able to access education

Oliver Jeffers said it was his favourite artistic project he had ever worked on.

“This project is called ‘Seen’ because we are looking at human beings who have been forced to move from their home for reasons most people don’t consider. We want people here to see the plight of people who have to move. The way to judge a civilisation is how they treat their most vulnerable members. We should bear in mind the reason most of these young people are helpless is because they are not allowed to help themselves. They haven’t been given the dignity or the right to work and education.”

Elfie Seymour from PPR said asylum seekers are forced to subsist on roughtly £9 per week per child and not allowed to work and are restricted from education. Meanwhile they are forced to be accommodated in hotels for which the government pays the hotel owners full price for the rooms. 

Elfie said hotel owners’ profits had increased dramatically and they were enriching themselves off of this system which sees asylum seekers trapped and helpless and unable to take part in society.

“In the South and England, Scotland and Wales they all have programmes for education for young asylum seekers but in the North there is nothing. Children are sitting in hotel rooms on £9 a week, with no access to resources or education. 

“These children’s educations have already been interupted by having to flee their country and all they want to do is go to school and they’re being failed. The things the kids drew as their dreams were a house and going to school – things our children take for granted.

“Since the company Mears got the contract from the Home Office their profits have increased 38 per cent. Hotel owners are paid full occupancy every night. This is an industry and people are profiting of this inhumane situation.”