By Dr Angela Hobart
‘Juliana lights up any room she is in with her strength of spirit, warm heartedness, insight into human nature and care for others.’ Juliana’s colleague at Citizens Advice Bureau.
Juliana Keza is a Rwanda genocide survivor who was trafficked to England in 2002, after she lost her entire family in the genocide. Hoping for a new life of safety, Juliana faced more horror when arriving in England. Trapped by her trafficker in a small London flat, she eventually found freedom and has now lived in the U.K. for 14 years.
Despite her ordeal, she now works at Citizen Advice Bureau, assisting British clients with empathy drawn from her experiences. Despite serving the British community for many years, Juliana has been issued a temporary visa, requiring expensive renewals every two and a half years, which she struggles to afford. She is restricted from travelling abroad.
Her cheerful demeanor and immense resilience reflect her inner strength. Her last name, ‘Keza,’ means ‘beautiful’ in her native language Kinyarwanda.
Juliana’s story underscores the importance of comprehensive support systems for refugees and asylum seekers.
Read her moving story and her work with psychotherapist and social anthropologist Dr. Angela at the Helen Bamber Foundation on our website.
