A UK based charity organisation, Ekpoma Okpa Association (EOA) is embarking on a series of events to support migrant families affected by covid-19 pandemic. The support includes Immigration clinics, Immigration surgery and payment of small energy/transport bills to support families with children.
The project, immigration support for migrant families affected by Covid-19 is an initiative of EOA to address the diverse problems experienced by migrants in the UK. The charity association noted that there are many individuals in several communities in UK who do not have recourse to public funds, are unable to work because of the challenges of immigration worsened by the pandemic and recently the Omicron induced restrictions which has seen several families, particularly those with little children unable to meet their activities of daily living particularly food. The association reasoned that it will be better to support these families through creating access to the right legal help to actualise or complete their immigration journeys or complete their journeys through legal and appropriate routes rather than them seeking helps from exploitative gangs who themselves do not have the adequate legal information particularly at the face of changing EU and UK laws post Brexit compounded by the corona pandemic/lock down.
The project which is supported with funding from African Advocacy Foundation, hosted town hall events (Immigration clinic and face to face immigration surgery).
The virtual townhall meeting (immigration clinic) was attended by several migrant families, this event which took place on 4th December 2021 was resourced by 4 different immigration solicitors/barristers with expertise in employment laws, residency and deportation matters, family and child law and criminal law. Responding on behalf the attendees, Mrs ES thanked the lawyers and the charity for arranging the town hall clinic to support their various challenges and issues, another attendee Mr Ebor also expressed appreciation to the lawyers for dissecting and advising them on the right routes to take in their immigration journeys, he appealed to other charities and funding bodies to come to the aid of migrant families experiencing challenges.
Immigration Surgery: This surgery was held on the 15th of January 2022 at the City of London academy, Southwark, this event involved individual sessions for those who had very challenging cases and who need a one-on-one consultation with solicitors but could not afford to do so because of lack of funds and inappropriate information. With the efforts of EOA, they were able to attend the all-day event which was resourced by lawyers in session to see and advise the migrants families.
The event also featured the small energy and sustenance support given to qualified families and individuals who have been stricken by hunger and fuel poverty.
Speaking at the immigration surgery, Barrister Cathy observed that the initiative has really been an eye opener for the help many need but cannot afford them. She praised those who attended, particularly women with families, for their courage to come out with their documents and relevant papers for the lawyers to review and advise them on the appropriate routes for their cases. Corroborating her words, another lawyer Mr Peter, commended EOA for this initiative and thanked African Advocacy Foundations for funding the events and appealed to them and other sponsors to support EOA to host similar events in other cities like Manchester, Birmingham, and Bristol where there are also large number of immigrants in a similar situation.
- Responding on behalf of the attendees and recipient of the small energy and sustenance support, Ms Ada and other families thanked the follow-up surgery and most especially the small funds which they attested will go a long way in ameliorating their financial challenges occasioned by the lockdown on their finances and wellbeing.
In his closing remark the President of EOA Omonua Agbonbhaselena, while thanking the resource persons, also paid tributes to African Advocacy Foundation for grating EOA the finances used for the project and implored other charitable funding bodies to come to their aid in replicating these clinics, surgeries, and small energy funds in other cities like Bristol, Manchester, and Birmingham where these issues are particularly endemic. He congratulated some of the attendees who have been able to get some work or jobs following the advice they received at the town hall meeting in December and implored them to follow the advice provided to them at the surgery, He also used the opportunity to thank volunteers and members of Ekpoma Okpa who contributes in various support ways to make the events and the project a huge success. The charity called on government agencies and other organisations and charities, particularly law firms and advisory houses to do more to support these migrant families who have lost hope in themselves because of immigration challenges at these covid pandemic times.