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Youth group celebrates multicultural
Wigan
 A Wigan youth service group is celebrating Refugee Week (19th – 25th June)
by taking part in a massive world music and dance celebration in
Manchester tomorrow (June 24th).
Rafiki / Motswako will be showing how refugees, asylum seekers and black
minority ethnic (BME) young people are making a positive contribution to
Wigan Borough at the Exodus Festival in Hulme Park, Manchester, this
Saturday (June 24th).
The Wigan Council Children & Young People’s Service group will be
showing off its achievements by putting on a display highlighting the
projects it has been involved in recently.
Since forming over five years ago, Rafiki / Motswako has played a
crucial role supporting BME young people and helping refugee / asylum
seeking youngsters settle in the borough.
Amir Esteki, who has been a member of Rafiki / Motswako for nine months
says: “When I first came to Wigan I did not have many friends and I was
getting a lot of racist abuse. I felt very lonely and I did not feel
part of the community.
“When I went to Rafiki / Motswako the people were very friendly and they
showed me the good things about the area. The group has allowed me take
part in interesting activities, helped me access services and given me
opportunities I would not have known about.”
In 2006 the Rafiki / Motswako has:
• Produced an animated film documenting the experiences of group members
in Wigan compared to those they had in their country of origin.
• Taken part in a football project with youth groups from Platt Bridge
and Orrell. The initiative has been hugely successful in building
friendships and helping young people overcome racist attitudes.
• Had one of its members elected to represent Wigan Borough in the UK
Youth Parliament.
Rafiki / Motswako project leader Mehmood Ahmed says: “Wigan, Leigh and
the surrounding areas are becoming more and more diverse. When I first
came to work here six years ago there was a very limited BME presence in
the borough. Now we have people from all over the world living here from
places as far away as Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
“I was raised in Bolton and when I was young it had a very small ethnic
community. It has grown massively over the years and I can see the same
thing happening here.
“Rafiki / Motswako has shown that BME, refugee and asylum seeking young
people can make a positive contribution to life in Wigan Borough. Most
of the young people we work with have had unpleasant experiences with
racism but we are here to help them live as part of the community.”
-ends-
Notes to Editors
Further information
• Rafiki (“friend” in Swahili) / Motswako (“good stuff” in South
African) supports Black Minority Ethnic (BME), refugee and asylum
seeking young people in tackling issues at school, college, community
and in work. The group was established in August 2001 following the
dispersal of asylum seekers to the area, which raised a whole range of
issues including racism, bullying, personal safety, access to services,
integration and social inclusion. Free transport is provided for young
people wishing to attend the group.
For more information contact Angela Kirk, Young People’s Press
Officer for the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on 01942 828923 or
e-mail
A.Kirk@wlct.org
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