Life after reunion: three families’ journeys, months on
At Safe Passage International, we often share the powerful moments when children are finally reunited with the people they love: the long wait for a decision, the rush of booking flights, and the unforgettable hugs and tears at the airport… But their journeys do not end there.
Once a family is reunited in the UK, they often still face huge challenges: finding a home, navigating the school system, registering with a GP, understanding benefits, and rebuilding a sense of safety after years of fear and uncertainty. That’s why we continue providing social support long after families have arrived, helping them take their first steps into life together again.
Today, we’re sharing of three children reunited with their loved ones this year — and how they’re doing a few months on.
Burian* (12) and Valeria* (16) leaving the airport with their mum
Burian* (12) and Valeria* (16) were reunited with their mum this year. They had been living with their elderly grandparents in Ukraine, close to the Belarus border. When the war began, their mum, in the UK on a temporary visa, was unable to return to them.
Our legal team fought for months to secure their visas through a long, complex process. Even after we won their case in court, delays meant more agonising months apart. But in August, they finally walked through the airport doors into their mum’s arms.
Today, Burian loves school and has already made friends with other Ukrainian boys. Valeria continues her education through online classes with her former school while taking English lessons. Most importantly, every evening, they get to come home to their mum.
Adan* reunited with his uncle in June this year, after months of danger and uncertainty.
At 16, he fled Somalia after his family was targeted for refusing to work with Al Shabab, a violent armed group. But his journey to safety was long and traumatic.
He was stranded alone in Cyprus for years, and when he turned 18, he suddenly lost his accommodation and financial support. But despite everything, Adan kept pushing forward — and so did we.
Adan has now started college and is settling into life with his uncle and cousins. He’s making new friends, reconnecting with old ones from Cyprus, and, for the first time in years, living the life every teenager deserves: safe, supported, and free to plan for the future.
Adan reuniting with his family in London
Leila* and Noon* after reuniting with their dad
*All names have been changed to protect our client’s identity
Leila* and Noon* were reunited with their dad in May this year.
They were just one and three years old when their father last saw them. His work with the Afghan Border Police put him at serious risk when the Taliban took control, and he fled to the UK hoping his daughters would soon follow.
But visa refusals and long delays kept the family separated for years. That long wait finally ended a few months ago.
Leila and Noon have settled brilliantly — we supported them to register for school, and they’re now learning English, making friends, and exploring their new neighbourhood. Best of all, they are safe and growing up with their dad by their side.