Refugee who ran gauntlet to enter UK under lorries finds solace in migrant football team


Paul Carey
  • English
  • Arabic

A man who fled the war in Sudan as a 14-year-old and risked his life to reach Britain has revealed how joining a football team made up of fellow migrants has brought stability to his life.

Ussri Badawi, now 21, reached the UK in 2018 after spending time in countries including Libya, Italy and France.

He learnt English through Unicef in 2012 and endured hard times before getting to the UK, repeatedly risking his life trying to enter the country under lorries, as he had heard it was “the safest” country and was multicultural.

“The first time I tried to get to the UK through France was under a lorry. You just go under the lorry and wait for your chance,” he said.

“Sometimes you don’t know where this lorry is going. You are sitting between the wheels and it is so dangerous … but if you go near the wheels, the driver might not check properly.”

Last year, a 16-year-old Sudanese boy died while trying to board a UK-bound lorry.

Mr Badawi said he finally reached the UK after being transported in a lorry by a friend for 10 to 11 hours when he was 17, after attempting to get to the UK from France for three years.

In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Badawi said that he has “faced even more dangerous situations” which spurred him on to try to rebuild his life in the UK, where he found solace in Changing Lives FC — a football team made up of refugees and migrants.

“I just came across to train because I didn’t know of any football teams that I could train with, and I have been here for three years now,” he said.

“The team really means a lot because it has multicultural players from different countries.”

He said because their English is not perfect they have found ways to communicate with each other, which might not have happened with other teams. “It makes you think you could become a professional footballer,” he said.

The team play in division two in Essex's Harlow District League, which has 11 teams, and they train every Thursday for one and a half hours.

“I have a video and I still watch it all the time,” Mr Badawi said, reflecting fondly on a match in which he scored a goal.

“It was really nice hearing people celebrating and cheering for us — it was a good feeling.”

Dave Simmons, 27, from Harlow, is the team’s coach. He said that when he met the “very tall” player who was “built like a machine,” he knew he would be the perfect fit for the team.

“He’s got a great smile and he’s willing to learn, which is the most important thing as a player,” he said.

A photo of Changing Lives FC. The team are to star in a three-part documentary series called 'Migrants United'.
A photo of Changing Lives FC. The team are to star in a three-part documentary series called 'Migrants United'.

“You want a player who wants to listen and who wants to do better, and Ussri’s smile is very contagious and he helps and supports the whole team.

“It is an honour to coach a team like Changing Lives, with so many young people from different countries.

“Football can be taught in so many languages just because of the movements, actions and demonstrations that you do, and with the World Cup coming up and the women’s Euros having taken place, it gets young boys and girls to dream about being professional footballers.

“Hopefully, a few of the players I’ve got on my team can one day become professional footballers.”

The team will be featured in a three-part series called Migrants United, produced by LOUD productions.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

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Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
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Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National in Davos

We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.

The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK 

Ministry of Interior
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General Intelligence Directorate
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.

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Results

5pm: Al Falah – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bshara, Richard Mullen (jockey), Salem Al Ketbi (trainer)

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Al Dhafra – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Mualami, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud

6.30pm: Al Khaleej Al Arabi – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Hawafez, Adrie de Vries, Abubakar Daud

7pm: Al Mafraq – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi

7.30pm: Al Samha – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Celestial Spheres, Patrick Cosgrave, Ismail Mohammed

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War and the virus
Ferrari
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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Falling%20for%20Christmas'
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INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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Updated: August 02, 2022, 9:31 AM`