'I fled civil war at 16 and now I'm an FA referee'

Nasser Hamid arrived alone in Suffolk at the age of 16, having fled war-torn Sudan in a bid to find safety and salvation.

At the time, he was unable to speak any English, but he was, however, well-versed in the universal language that is football.

With the help of Suffolk Refugee Support, Nasser soon started to find his feat, not least on the pitch with the charity's Refugee Football Group.

His love of the game helped him integrate, but when an injury forced him to hang up his boots, he was forced to find another avenue to continue his passion.

"I've always loved to play football, and it was a dream for me, but I don't think that I could have made as a footballer," said Nasser, now 20.

"But when I found out I could be a referee, I thought that is what I could go for. So that is what I did, and I think it was great journey."

That journey saw him, with the support of the Ipswich Town Foundation, qualify as a Level 7 referee, after passing the FA Referees' course, assessment and exams.

Nasser now regularly officiates local league matches, but his proudest moment came most recently when he got to referee a staff match at Portman Road.

"It is dream come true and no words can describe this feeling for me, I couldn't sleep that night," he said.

"For people to trust me to handle a match at Portman Road… it was really the proudest moment of my life, literally.

"But I think this is the start of the journey because with determination and with hard work, you can go far."

When Nasser first arrived in the county, he stayed in accommodation provided by YMCA Suffolk along with other people who only spoke Arabic.

But so determined he was to speak English, he requested to be moved to a different shared housing block, with people who could help him learn the language.

He also frequently asked staff for books written in English, worked at Portman Road as a cashier, volunteered at a charity and studied – and passed - an English GCSE.

"I always love to talk with people and I think that's helped me a lot, and you have to learn the language; it's the most important thing to do to integrate," he said.

"It's a totally different culture, with different places and different people, and at times it is difficult to understand where you are.

"But finding the lovely and kind people here helped me a lot and made me feel like home and like I belong here."

Nasser grew up in a "very small and tiny village" in Sudan, a country that was plunged into a civil war in April 2023, resulting in the displacement of millions.

While Nasser has found safety in Suffolk, his mother and younger brothers have not.

"I always feel sad about them, and I always wanted to be with them or have them with me, but in life sometimes you have to carry on," he told the BBC.

"I love my mum and I love my brothers, but you have to follow your dreams and my mother always told me to focus on your life."

One of Nasser's biggest advocates and champions since he arrived in the county has been Martin Simmonds, from Suffolk Refugee Support.

He said he was an "absolute inspiration" and what he has achieved since arriving in Suffolk was "extraordinary".

"He is full of courage, kindness and a desire to contribute, but this is the norm, not the exception, for the people we work with," said Martin.

"His journey shows what can be achieved when refugees are welcomed and given the initial support and encouragement they need."

"When we shared Nasser's story on social media recently, we were blown away by the response," added Martin.

"People from far and wide left comments of love and support, and it became clear how many lives he has touched already.

"It demonstrated that people are eager for stories that offer a different perspective - one that inspires, unites and reminds us of our shared humanity."

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