Aisha arrived in the UK with her husband in 2021, hoping to find stability and safety.

Everything changed when she found out she was pregnant. The couple were moved into temporary hotel accommodation, with meals provided at set times and no flexibility.

Aisha found this extremely difficult while pregnant. She, like many other, suffered from bad morning sickness.

She was often too unwell to eat at times food was served. Sometimes when she could stomach it, the food had arrived undercooked.

But with no control over meal times or money to buy anything else, Aisha either ate or went hungry.

“I was getting hungry, so I kept bread from breakfast to eat later.”

She was later diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

No adjustments to the food she was provided were made, putting her a further risk.

Then just days after giving birth, Aisha was discharged back to the same hotel room.

“The bed was too high for me to climb into safely, so I slept in a chair beside my newborn. It was very painful.“

There was no space to wash clothes properly.

No quiet, and no privacy.

At a time when many new parents rely on support from family or community, Aisha and her husband were left to cope alone – Aisha’s mental health suffered.

“I stayed inside the room for three months. I didn’t have the confidence to go outside. My depression got worse.“

Then came more devastating news: the family’s claim for asylum had been refused.

Aisha and her husband were eventually referred to Refugee Action. Our teams helped them secure suitable accommodation, navigate the asylum system, and find a solicitor to support their appeal.

Finally, after nine months in the hotel, Aisha and her family were finally able to move into a home.

Your donation ensures Refugee Action can continue standing alongside mothers like Aisha, every step of the way.