My family and I are trying to raise £2000 to help towards the legal costs towards our appeal case and we need your help and support: please contribute and share this page!

I am fighting to appeal against the Home Office refusal of my family's Asylum and Human Rights claims so that we can remain safely in the UK.

I came to the UK in 2009 to escape the FGM threats from my family.  They are from the Gambian Serahule Tribe, it is a very religious Muslim tribe who still follow their own traditional tribal practices. I have so far managed to escape the threat of Female Genital Mutilation by my father’s family, something I would be subjected to if I were to return. My mother was Ghanian and was forced to go through FGM herself and convert to Islam before she could marry my father. She suffered greatly bearing children due to the damage caused following FGM.

As a child I would be left out of social gatherings, and when I was older my mother explained I had not had FGM performed and this is why I was not allowed to attend. 

As girls we have to keep ourselves for marriage. This gives great pride to the family and it shows you have been obedient and respectful. I had my son before marriage which bought much shame on the family, and they did not accept him.

After my mum passed away, the maltreatment became worse and I was scared for my life. I took my son to my mum's friend to care for him and keep him safe. I kept moving from town to town but I was unable to feel safe anywhere.  Following some further abuse from a partner I lived with, I escaped in 2009 and came to the UK.

I have two children aged 9 and 6 years. Both children were born in the UK and have lived here their whole lives. They both attend school and have been in education since they were 2 years. The children are very well settled in school, have many friends and take part in as many extracurricular activities as possible.

I am worried that if we were forced to return to Gambia, that my family would not be safe and would be under threat. I worry that the children would not be able to adapt to such a drastic culture change and also strongly believe that they will be subject to bullying and I worry about their mental health.

I have not been subjected to FGM which in my family and tribe's eyes makes me unclean, and I have had children outside of marriage which they see as unclean. I have converted to Christianity which is not acceptable and is seen as a huge betrayal to my family, tribe and religion. 

I am the only person in my family who has gone against all of our traditions and I have brought my family much disrespect and shame. If I ever return they will force me to go through FGM, practise Islam, marry me to a man of their choice or take me away and I am scared that they will kill me as a punishment for bringing shame on the family. They can also circumcise me after death.

I wish to remain in the UK so that my children can live a safe and happy life and would appreciate any help, however small, in helping us to succeed.

I would like to thank every single person that reads my story and can help in any small way. God bless you