About Us
MRSN is a grass-roots organisation directly managed by refugee communities.
MRSN aims to build strong and independent refugee community organisations.
Aims
- To support and empower Manchester's refugee communities to establish strong organisations.
- To increase public awareness around issues of asylum and media representation.
- To give refugees and asylum seekers a voice and the chance to express themselves and represent the needs and aspirations of their own communities.
- To reduce levels of stress, unemployment, poverty and isolation for asylum seekers and refugees.
History
Manchester has a long history of welcoming refugees from all parts of the world throughout the centuries. More recently, Manchester has become a second home to over 10,000 refugees over the last three decades. People of all ages and backgrounds have settled here and made their home in the North West.
Manchester Refugee Support Network emerged as an idea during the early 1990s with the aim of better serving the refugee communities in Manchester.
MRSN began as a Network made up of more established refugee communities such as Chilean, Bosnian, Sudanese and Kurdish Communities.
MRSN is now an established refugee-led agency with paid staff, managed by a voluntary committee of representatives from refugee communities.
We became a Charity in June 2005.
Management Committee and Members
Our management committee is elected annually from our membership.
Management Committee Members:
- Green Nyoni (Chair) - Zimbabwean Community
- Abobeker Zukriya (Vice-Chair) - Darfur Community
- Elinah Mugwagwa (Treasurer) - Zimbabwe Women's Organisation
- Addisu Tewolde (Secretary) - Ethiopian Community
- Mohammed Sheikh - United Somali Bravanese Community
- Azeldin El-Sharif - Libyan Community
- Habteselase Yetbarek Mengustu - Eritrean Community
Our member organisations:
- African Francophone Integration Project
- Bosnian Supplementary School
- Darfur Community
- Elmi Somali Youth Association
- Eritrean Community of Greater Manchester
- Ethiopian Community
- Iraqi Community Welfare Association
- Kurdish Society of Manchester
- Manchester Afghan Community
- Marecog
- North Manchester Somali Community
- Pakistani Refugee Organisation
- Somali Arlaadi
- Somali Bravanese Sisters
- Somali Youth Action
- Somaliland Community Centre
- Sudanese Community Association
- Tamil Community
- Tamil Refugee Welcome Group
- United Community Association for Libyan Refugees
- United Somali Bravanese Community
- Zimbabwean Community
Staff and Volunteers
We have 6 full time and 2 part time staff members:
- Rob Clarke - Manager
- Belay Kahsay - Community Development Worker
- Sophie King - Refugee and Migrant Forum Development Worker
- James Allen - Advice Development Manager
- Mahasin Mohammed-Ali - Money Advice Development Worker
- Yosief Zeray - Sunrise Coordinator
- Mary Atkinson - Volunteer Coordinator
- Rachel Laurence - Resources Officer
We also have a large number of dedicated volunteers who perform vital roles running our admin and finances and working alongside our project workers.
Funders
Funders 2008/9 : |
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Equalities and Human Rights Commission |
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