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Charles In Cameroon, Charles had been a teacher. He was not allowed to work while his asylum claim was being processed, but he volunteered as a French and Maths teacher in a primary school. In 2003 Charles began training as a nurse. He wanted to be a nurse because he likes looking after people, and had studied biology in Cameroon. He has recently graduated. His asylum claim failed, however, and he still has no right to work in the UK. Charles must go and see the immigration services every month. The papers they have issued him with state very clearly that he must not work. He has no other source of income, however. How could he pay the bus fare to go to his immigration services appointments if he didn't work? In fact, Charles works illegally as an agency nurse. The agency knows about his immigration status. They don't treat him badly - he is paid the same as those working legally - but he is often given the most difficult shifts. One organisation that he worked for liked him so much that they wanted to give him a permanent position. He had to refuse though - the application form requested proof of immigration status. When the agency calls him with shifts, he always takes them. Sometimes he works 72 hours a week. He needs the money to support his partner and two young children. Charles' partner is also from Cameroon, and is also a failed asylum seeker. He met her through his support work with the Cameroonian community: She had arrived in the UK 26 weeks pregnant and feeling unwell, but was forced to attend an interview with the immigration services. During the interview she collapsed and was rushed to hospital. She later lost her baby. Charles was doing his training in the same hospital, and visited and supported her during her recovery. They now have two children together - a boy of 17 months, and a girl of 2 months. Their daughter was born 2 months prematurely and wearing only 1.9 kilos. She is out of danger now, but Charles worries about the effect that the cramped conditions they live in might have on her health. While Charles was studying his grant was only £621 a month. Out of necessity, he, his partner and their son all lived in one room. As the law prohibits more than two people living in one room, the family has been evicted from their accommodation several times. Charles still does not have a steady income. The family still live in one room, and worry that they may lose their home again. Even more worrying for Charles and his partner are their monthly appointments with the immigration services. Charles worries that he could be arrested and deported without warning at any of these appointments. Then what would happen to his wife and children? The family live in constant fear of a knock on the door, and a forced return to a country where their lives would be at risk. Charles has set up a support network for Cameroonians in London. It offers help and advice to Cameroonians who have recently arrived in the UK. Those with the right to work can get help with CVs and application forms. The network visits Cameroonians who are being held in detention centres, and campaign for their release. They aim to help Cameroonians in the UK to find dignified work and to live a decent life. Charles says that being given the chance to work legally in the
UK would be "the best thing that had ever happened to me."
He dreams of being able to work hard as a nurse, so he can earn
enough money for his family to live comfortably. Above all, he dreams
of being able to live in peace, free from the constant fear and
insecurity which overshadows his life at the moment.
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