The LOWE Group’s Founder & Director, Tim, wrote the below article for EG following his first hand experience volunteering with a group of 30 female asylum seekers who are living in a hotel in Putney.
Meeting these women and hearing their stories, Tim witnessed first-hand their plight and the system they are a part of.
Through Regenerate, a south London based charity, the women embark on weekly outings, which is their only organised activity. Apart from this limited engagement, their access to other activities and resources is restricted (due to an allowance of £8 per week) and a severe lack of contact and connections within the local area. As a result, they largely remain in their rooms with some basic provisions, and are not allowed to work.
As an industry which can provide connections, community, thoughtful accommodation, pillars to support and empower asylum seekers to become active contributors to society, why can’t the government engage with the real estate sector in any meaningful way?
