Michael stepped foot in Scotland in 2018, after his flight, the first he had ever been on, arrived from Kenya.

An accountant back home in Nairobi, Michael took a leap of faith by accepting a scholarship to study business management at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Perth. When asked why he decided on such a bold and courageous move, Michael had a simple answer: the opportunity for a better life.

In Kenya, Michael felt constrained – believing he wasn’t getting the opportunity to reach greater heights. He wanted to provide more for his family, to help get them out of a difficult time, but he was limited in what was possible. Michael felt the best way to truly make a difference for himself and for his family was to move abroad – in fact, his family was encouraging him to do so. Nonetheless, he still faced a dilemma. Leave your family and home for a foreign, far away land? Or stick together, but, as he described, “languishing with a meagre income.” While fear, nervousness and apprehension might be the feeling most experience when making such a brave journey, Michael felt the opposite. He was overwhelmed with excitement and joy.

Upon arriving to Perth, Scotland, Michael only had a couple of days to settle in before his courses started. He was upbeat and enthusiastic those first few days and months, despite having to adjust to using English all the time. Communicating in general, especially for his coursework, was the biggest challenge Michael faced in those early days. Regardless, he described feeling full of optimism as he adjusted to his new life in Scotland. However, upon reflection, Michael admits this was naïve of him.

Things started to change about a year later when his school started asking for payments for course fees. Confused and shocked, as his sponsor, a separate individual, made clear the scholarship and education he was receiving would be fully covered. The sponsor, who was also providing Michael with accommodation, had convinced him that they would pay for everything only to find out later this would not be the case. To make matters worse, Michael was on a visa that restricted his ability to work – so he couldn’t work to try to pay the expenses even if he wanted to.

Feeling scared, isolated and confused when facing a difficult situation in a foreign land is a situation so many newcomers are familiar with. Michael was no different. He spoke to a few people who all said what he was going through was not okay and that something needed to be done. Moreso, the school notified Michael that he would not be allowed to continue his studies unless some type of payment plan was created. Michael’s dream – the dream he gave up so much to pursue - of finally being able to provide more for his family was slowly slipping away right in front of him. Out of options, Michael decided to take the drastic measure of calling the police.

Michael has a hard time explaining the type of exploitation he faced and the toll it took on him. He was only comfortable sharing limited details and requested that specifics be left out, but the seriousness and gravity of the situation was severe.

Thankfully, after speaking with the police, Michael was referred to Migrant Help and, little did he know at the time, the road to recovery was just beginning.

“Migrant Help showed me that I was going through problems. It made me realise wait a minute, you’ve been going through this problem and I didn’t know because I was deep in it. It made me come out of my trauma which I didn’t know I had.”

After connecting with Migrant Help, Michael said the biggest positive change came when he started receiving counselling. Of course finding a reliable sponsor, getting introduced to an immigration lawyer, acquiring new accommodation, was all of paramount importance. But the toll the whole situation had on Michael’s mental health also needed to be addressed. Feeling confident and encouraged, Michael finished his studies and largely credits the counselling he received as a major reason why.

After graduating, Migrant Help introduced Michael to a training programme conducted by Initiative for Change called Refugees as Rebuilders. After completing the programme, Michael then started an apprenticeship through a local housing association and PATH Scotland (Positive Action Through Housing) that aims to provide everybody, regardless of income, with a place to call home. Michael continues the apprenticeship to this day, confident it will lead to further opportunities.

The biggest takeaway Michael has from these past few years - and why he wanted to share his story – is to spread the word that the system in Scotland, the UK, is working. Too often the complications of integration, the challenges of the immigration system, are headline news. But for Michael, the system worked. By first taking the courageous step of notifying the authorities, to then continuing to work with Migrant Help to address both the physical and mental challenges he was facing, Michael credits his turning point to the network of services he had access to.

“[My journey] was a collaboration…it is all a network. The system is working.”

Michael hopes his journey can be used as an example of a positive outcome. He also hopes his message can resonate with newcomers that are struggling, and to make them aware that support is available.

Now, living in Glasgow doing an apprenticeship he loves, he finds himself in a happy and healthy place. He even started his own podcast, and out of this podcast began his own company called UK Swahili – where he translates UK immigration laws into simple Swahili.

Michael’s incredible and encouraging story is what makes Scotland, and all of the UK, such a great place to call home.