"One day I hope to open my own shop" - Obsa's story
Recently, Amy Packer from the Mirror newspaper, chatted with Obsa, one of our brilliant Market Stall Managers in Brighton! Find out how Breadwinners supported Obsa in his new chapter in the UK in the excerpt below!
Obsa working hard managing one of our stalls & selling bread!
“ When Obsa Abdurama phoned his mother to tell her about his new job, it was a moment of intense pride and relief. It felt like an exciting new chapter in a long, difficult story that began when he was just 15 years old.
“I was born in Ethiopia, near the border with Somalia but I had to leave because of a mistake - people thought I was a member of the Oromo Liberation Army,” 23-year-old Obsa says.
He was forced to flee his home, leaving his mother, brother, sister, and his father. “I miss my family so much.”
“Before, my English wasn’t good and I had no confidence. Now I know how to speak to customers and sell bread - one day I hope to open my own shop. I have also made great friends.”
The next few years were unbelievably tough for the teenager, as he crossed the desert into Sudan, spending time in Libya, Italy, Switzerland and France before finally arriving in the UK in 2019.
“I was sent to live in Manchester until my asylum seeker status was granted, then in November 2022 I moved to Brighton because my cousin lives there,” Obsa says. “It’s a great city but very expensive.”
While sleeping rough, Obsa was approached by charity workers who introduced him to Breadwinners. The project helps refugees get work experience in the UK, selling artisan organic bread at markets.
Obsa and our Brighton Operations Manager Antonia promoting our work at a local job fair.
Five months after he started working on the stalls, Obsa says the experience has been life changing.
“Before, my English wasn’t good and I had no confidence. Now I know how to speak to customers and sell bread - one day I hope to open my own shop. I have also made great friends.”
Breadwinners is just one of many good causes across the UK to benefit from National Lottery funding, receiving £49,755 in June 2018 to launch a new “Riser” programme to train and mentor young refugees and asylum seekers and prepare them for employment. “
Congratulations Obsa for your incredible work with us, we’re so lucky to have you on our team! And thank you Amy for promoting our work.
Read the full feature here!
Join our community by visiting our markets, volunteering as a mentor, or donating!