26 Can’t Stay. Can’t Go. Refused asylum seekers who cannot be returned Joshua (Ethiopia) is also homeless. He is coming. Maybe I get paper, Christmas desperately seeking a solution for his situation coming”. (Kasim, Iraq) – he used the word ‘solution’ 38 times in his interview. 3.11 Control over life I’m tired of being homeless. I claim asylum; they refuse me. If they don’t want me in their Most of our refused asylum seekers reported country, they should take me home, find me a feeling they have no control over their lives. Their solution. They don’t want to help me or take comments included: me home. I can’t stay; they can’t take me home…. I’m still in the same situation with no I don’t feel like I am in control. The future is solutions. Solution just be homeless. This is not in my hands. I don’t plan, because you my graveyard. This is not even prison for me; don’t know what tomorrow holds for you. they treat me worse than a prisoner. I’m no (Violet, Zimbabwe) criminal. I don’t come here to commit criminal. Control, I don’t have control over my life, no. I’m not a resident of this country, but I’m here My control is long time gone. (Joshua, Ethiopia) – residentially permanently homeless. Yes, that’s where they left me. That’s my status, I have no control. [Interviewer: How does and they don’t have no reason or solution. that make you feel?] Useless. Helpless. Very Homeless is the only solution they left me frustrated. (Kayla, Zimbabwe) with. How long I’m going to be homeless? I 3.12 What keeps you strong? don’t know, if they already left me 12 years now. I don’t think they’ll find me an answer, We asked our refused asylum seekers what straightforward answer: we take you keeps them strong and helps them to cope. For home, or we do this for you. No. Just the six of them, the answer was hope: homelessness. No solution…. Answers, there is no answers. Solutions, there is no solutions. I hope it will get better. I want to live a normal (Joshua, Ethiopia) life like everyone else. (Qareen, Palestine) Kasim (Iraq) feels that the time he has spent My hope. Of doing well, of surviving well. waiting in the UK – unable to study or work – is (Faheem, Palestine) worse than being sent back to Iraq and possible death. He feels that, at least, would be mercifully Three participants reported that their faith keeps swift compared to the eight long years spent in them strong: limbo that have ground him down: I don’t know. God. God maybe keeps Every day I’m dying…. Every day. Every day me going, because Home Office have no you are scared, you’re thinking about yourself... conclusion or decision to resolve this problem. you don’t have support, tomorrow what will (Joshua, Ethiopia) happen. It’s very difficult. (Kasim, Iraq) Fiyori (Eritrea) and Enaya (Palestine) both said Kasim feels that, after eight years of waiting, he is that they stay strong for their children: getting too old to move on with his life: I have to be strong for my daughter. My When first time I’m coming I’m young…. But daughter keeps me going. (Enaya, Palestine) if now, now you give me paper, how I go be student. My head, my brain, too much get Violet (Zimbabwe) and Kasim (Iraq), both active tired. (Kasim, Iraq) volunteers, reported that keeping busy helps them to cope: Kasim still has hope and, every year at Christmas, wonders if he will receive some good news: The main way I cope is by keeping busy…. I try and do as much volunteering as possible. I Still I wait here…. Yeah, always, every year, volunteer at the Red Cross three days a week when Christmas coming, I say, “Oh, this and two days a week at the Salvation Army…. one, maybe it’s coming; definitely this news I want to help people like me – asylum