We are delighted to announce the appointment of Bekele Woyecha as the Deputy Director of the Asylum Reform Initiative (ARI), the alliance of leading refugee charities that established and continues to support the Together With Refugees campaign coalition.
A joint endeavour between ARI and One Strong Voice, a network of campaigners with lived experience, this new role will focus on building lived experience leadership across the refugee sector whilst working to secure a fairer and more compassionate asylum system. Together they commissioned a report on lived experience leadership in the refugee sector and this appointment is a significant milestone in advancing its recommendations.
Bekele, who has himself experienced the UK asylum system including detention and destitution, has more than 15 years of community organising and leadership from his former roles at Citizens UK, UK Welcomes Refugees and most recently at the Centre for Progressive Change.
Here he shares why he wanted to join ARI and the coalition and what he hopes to bring to the role.
Why did you want to join ARI and the Together With Refugees coalition?
The work of Together With Refugees is extremely important. I have worked in the sector for many years and it was clear that we needed an alliance, a way to bring all the different organisations and groups together. All are working hard individually, but together we are much more powerful.
For the last few years I had stepped away from the refugee sector, campaigning on other issues of equality and social justice. But when the riots happened last summer, I felt it was the right time for me to put my energy and heart back into issues of immigration and asylum.
As somebody who has experienced many terrible aspects of going through the asylum system, I also want to be part of fixing it. The voice of those who have these experiences should be important and influential in this work. I have been passionate about this for many years. And now I can play a meaningful part in bringing this to reality.
What are you hoping to achieve in the role?
There are two things I’m keen to achieve. One is strengthening the coalition, where the many different voices and views are held and represented. And, of course, the other is advancing lived experience leadership within this work. Meaningful participation – beyond storytelling, beyond testimony – with people who have themselves lived through the asylum system and know what it is to be a refugee in the UK is essential. There have been challenges to achieving this in the sector, and I am excited to play a part in changing this.
Why is championing lived experience leadership important to you?
Although I arrived in the UK with my passport and visa, my immigration journey was not an easy one. I experienced detention, destitution and separation from my family for a long time. It was a tough journey, but I never lost hope. I was also fortunate to get the support of many wonderful people in this country. I have always believed in coming forward and doing what is right to fix our immigration system, which was very painful in my experience.
Now I have built a secure life, with my family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. But the early days were very tough. And I know how – regardless of where you have come from and your achievements before – the UK asylum system can break your confidence. It can set you back. And it takes time to rebuild that.
Within this role I hope to both campaign for a better system that no longer has such a damaging impact on people but also change the sector to ensure those who have been through the system can be leaders in improving it.
In organising we say, ‘if you’re not around the table, you are on the menu’ and I want to make sure people who have been through the asylum system have a seat at the table.