A disabled refugee who fled Afghanistan’s murderous civil war is now a covid hero in his new Liverpool home.
Basir – known as Baz to colleagues – was forced to leave his home in Mazar-i-Sharif as a nine-year-old boy after the brutal murder of his father, shortly after the US-led invasion of 2001.
A long and lonely trek via Iran and Turkey marked the beginning a remarkable 15-year odyssey that would eventually see his family reunited and airlifted to safety in the UK by the United Nations.
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In 2017, the then 20-year-old arrived in South Liverpool with his mother, brother and two sisters, racked with bouts of anxiety brought on by a perilous trip which included a hike through the desert, a hair-raising border crossing in the back of a truck and years in a Turkish refugee camp.
Five years later, with support from the Speke Training and Education Centre (STEC), his positive outlook and talent for language has allowed him to assimilate into Liverpool life.
After passing his driving test, mastering English and perfecting the Scouse accent, Basir began working as an ambassador in St John’s Market.
The 24-year-old, who suffers from the effects of polio, now works as a driver and has been doing vital work to deliver Personal Protective Equipment to vulnerable families during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Basir said: “I always tell people who ask about my accent that I can speak five languages: Persian, Farsi, Turkish, English and Scouse.
“I didn’t have a clue to begin with and had never hear the word ‘mate’. Now, nobody believes me when I tell them I am from Afghanistan.
“I am a chatty person with a positive attitude and I love to talk but I also like to listen to people and their opinions so I suppose I just picked it up in conversation.
“When I first arrived, I was suffering from anxiety – when you have been through traumatic times it can be hard to move forward – but you have to forget and look for a new life.
“STEC was a lifeline – it was the thing that introduced me and my family to the city, the culture and the history. Now I feel proud of myself and after five years I have achieved so many things.”
Basir, who surname has been withheld for security reasons, left his family with just a teenage friend for company when his mother feared he may become a target for the Taliban.
His extraordinary journey took him to Turkey, where, under the care of another Afghan family, he learned Turkish, studied computing and worked in a restaurant to earn the money he needed to help the rest of his family make their escape and join him in Turkey.
After their application for asylum was finally accepted, the family were given short notice to board a plane from Istanbul’s Ataturk airport.
On March 7, 2017 – Basir remembers the exact time, 8.45am – they were told of their destination: Manchester Airport, where they were collected by Refugee Action and driven down the M62 to Liverpool.
Basir quickly adapted to life in Liverpool and the family secured clothes and housing items from Project Swap Shop, a scheme run by STEC.
The training centre, community organisation and business hub has been a fixture in Speke for three decades and last year received £750,000 from Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram's Growth Fund towards a refurbishment that included a new exterior glass lift.
Basir was given a job as a premises assistant at STEC under the Intermediate Labour Market job scheme, which provides a temporary role to provide a waged opportunity to help an unemployed person build a CV.
He volunteered at Liverpool University School of Medicine at the end of 2018 with Give Get Go and then found work as Customer Ambassador at St John's Market until Covid lockdown.
Having studied English before, he improved his skills with an English for Speakers of Other languages (ESOL) course, under the Liverpool Adult Learning Service.
Basir also took Combined Authority-funded courses under the adult learning scheme including driving theory.
After passing his test, he now drives a specially adapted vehicle and delivers protective equipment for Knowsley Council’s PPE team.
He continues to study – taking GCSEs in English and Maths – and hopes to complete an access course then to enrol on a degree in Computer Science.
Basir said: “My dad always said that study is the best thing, that it can open doors to a new life.
“I studied computing in Turkey so my goal is to get back to uni.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said: “Baz is a is a fantastic lad who only wants to help people. He has made good use of the adult education courses we provide and now he is giving a lot more back. He has been making a real difference in the region by working to help to protect the most vulnerable throughout the pandemic.
“He has felt the warmth of the people in the Liverpool City Region and is we should feel proud to call him one of our own. I think only Jan Molby has got a better Scouse accent from someone not born here!
“His story is a great example of how education and support can help people to integrate and become useful members of our communities. Our city region has long been a sanctuary for people escaping war, famine and persecution.”
“I personally benefited from studying later in life; so it’s my mission to make sure that everyone in the Liverpool City Region has access to the training, skills and opportunities they need to succeed. We have taken the decision to fully fund all learning for eligible asylum seekers, including English under the Adult Education Budget.
“We are always looking to innovate and improve. This includes pioneering an new scheme, called Test and Learn, which allows educators to try new ways of teaching, including English for those who primarily speak other languages.
“In Wirral, for example, students studying English as a second language are taken out into the community to practice their skills in real-life situations, such as getting their COVID jabs or visiting the library.
“I want ours to be the fairest city region possible, where no-one is left behind and everyone can fulfil their potential. Basir has been through a lot but hopefully, now he is safe and getting the education he deserves, he can go on to realise his own dreams.”
Mark Ord, CEO of STEC, said: “Basir has a remarkably positive attitude to life given the obstacles and traumas he has had to deal with when younger.
“He must be the first Afghan to work as an ambassador in St John’s – a place I consider the Golden Temple of Scouse.
“He is a great example of how STEC helps people through our two goals: Relief of Poverty and Advancement of Learning.
“All the family have used our services, including the foodbank, and his sister has just got another contract to work as a receptionist.”
Cllr Louise Harbour, Knowsley Council Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Basir has overcome significant adversity in his life and now helps others every day as part of his role with Knowsley Council. He has settled really well in the region and is prospering in his current role with us. He is a credit to the Council and a much loved and valuable member of the team.”
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