The BOAZ Trust is a Christian charity (Reg No. 1110344) set up in June 2004 to meet the needs of asylum seekers suffering destitution & hardship in the Greater Manchester area.

What’s the problem?

Since 1999 the government has introduced 5 new asylum acts. They have not only made it much harder for asylum seekers to enter the country, but also made thousands of asylum seekers already here destitute. Most of these are people whose asylum claims have been refused, but who cannot be safely returned to their country of origin.

With no benefits, housing or right to work, they have no choice but to beg, borrow or steal - or to break the law by working illegally. A recent national Audit Office report estimates that there are 283,000 refused asylum seekers nationwide. In Greater Manchester alone there are well over 2,000. They rely on charity handouts & support from friends (themselves often asylum seekers living on the poverty line). A number, suffering from severe depression, have attempted suicide - some successfully.

Recent legislation has made the situation worse. Cuts in legal aid have caused large numbers of solicitors to give up asylum work altogether. For those whose claims have been refused, it is almost impossible to find a solicitor to look at their case again. An underclass of people with no human rights has been created. The latest government tightening of the screw is threatening to withdraw all basic healthcare entitlements except for emergency treatment in A & E. If this ever goes ahead, it will cause severe problems & almost certainly deaths amongst refused asylum seekers with severe health problems.

What can be done?

At BOAZ we believe there are 3 keys to unlock the situation: Education, Care & Prayer

Education is not just about teaching facts. It is about winning the argument. The general public must see that tabloid scare stories about asylum are at best distortions of the truth, & at worst, downright lies. The politicians must understand that asylum seekers bring far more in to our country than they take out. And Christians must understand the depth of God’s love for the foreigner & the oppressed.

Would you like someone to come & speak to a group about what is happening? Contact us using the details in the left column of this page.

Care is not just about sympathy & a packet of rice. It involves commitment, sacrifice & a willingness to support, stand with & speak for those who have no means of helping themselves. Sometimes it will mean challenging the laws (& their makers) that are causing the destitution. It means, as Jesus said, treating others the way we would like to be treated.

Would you like to be involved in caring for those in need?

Prayer is not just a few thoughts or words on a Sunday. It is a hotline to the One who has the power to lift up & pull down governments, to soften hearts, to change minds. Without it, all the campaigning in the world will not bring about justice & righteousness.

Would you become a prayer partner & commit to interceding for those who have been marginalised & disenfranchised?

The aims of the BOAZ Trust

1. To empower the Christian Church to offer practical, emotional & spiritual support to asylum seekers & refugees facing destitution & hardship.

2. To bring about an end to destitution amongst asylum seekers in the United Kingdom by

:: resourcing accommodation & other essentials for life
:: promoting justice for asylum seekers & refugees
:: campaigning for changes in asylum legislation

>> click here to discover more about the people who make BOAZ work.