Mohamad's story - food, friendship and culture

Mohamad, a Syrian refugee living in Scotland, cares for his wife while managing his own health challenges. Life as a carer can be isolating, and Mohamad longed for the chance to reconnect with old friends and share familiar cultural experiences.

Thanks to a Time to Live microgrant, Mohamad was able to visit friends and enjoy a meal at a Syrian restaurant. Before the trip, he shared his excitement.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing our friends and spending time with people from our country who have had similar experiences. Although we’ll be staying with friends, we’ll also be meeting a larger group of people from the same background. We do have Arabic and Syrian contacts nearby but they’re people we met after coming to Scotland. It will mean so much to be around old friends again.”

Find out more about Time to Live here.

Mohamad said

“We are so appreciative. It gave us all a real boost, and the acknowledgment of my caring role made me feel valued and seen. The family loved the food and the company of friends. Food is such an important part of Arabic culture - thank you.”