THREE refugees who are living in Newport are celebrating Refugee Week by talking of their future hopes after learning to speak English.

Refugee Week, which is taking place from June 18 to 24, was set up to counter hostility in areas of society towards refugees and asylum seekers.

The women, who are from the British Red Cross’ English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), attend English classes in Newport and have high hopes for hte future.

Aferdita, from Albania, is a Coleg Gwent student and is mapping out what she wants to do.

She said: “I have gone from zero to 10 - I went to eight with the Red Cross.

“I had nothing. It was slowly, slowly at first. I would get annoyed because I could not say how I felt.

“It was not easy. I have already applied for a hairdressing course at Coleg Gwent and in the future I want to do that.

“If my English improves, I would like to do child care. My dream is to work with children and, because I’m getting better, I feel that is a possibility now.”

Aisha Ali, from Libya, is in the same class as Aferdita at Coleg Gwent and she too came to the UK without English.

She said: “In my country there were no English classes in school. It was very hard when I came here.

“I didn’t know anybody in the class but I made friends quite quickly.

“My children are doing very well at school and sometimes they teach me English.

“I need more English but I need to work and have a certificate in social work."

She added: “I could also work in a restaurant because I like cooking but I need to improve my English. It’s really hard to balance college work and home but I am 100% committed.”

Aissatou Diallo, from Guinea, also began learning the language at the Red Cross’ classes.

She said: “I had no English. I did two months of English in Cardiff before I started to do it in Newport.

“I was starting from zero. It was the beginning. I picked it up really well. I did just one year with the Red Cross and now I know so much more.

“I’m really confident about my English now. I’m a quick learner; I am getting better all the time and I am really happy to attend college."

British Red Cross coordinator for the classes, Theresa Mgadzah Jones, said: “We provide a safe place for mothers and children to learn English.

“Refugee Week is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of these extraordinary women and to highlight the efforts they are making to contribute meaningfully and wholeheartedly to the communities in which they now live.”

On Friday, June 22, the students of the British Red Cross’ English language classes are hosting a Resilient Women of Newport event at Newport Leisure Centre to mark Refugee Week.