5000 Miles

Beyond the Headlines

Every day we hear stories about refugees and people seeking asylum. Far less often do we hear those stories told by the people who have lived them.

When two young cousins arrived in West Yorkshire after making a 5,000-mile journey from Afghanistan, they carried with them experiences that few adults could imagine. At just thirteen years old they had crossed nine countries, leaving behind their families, their home and the lives they had known in search of safety.

Rather than asking others to tell their story, Verd de Gris Arts spent eighteen months listening.

Our Approach

Through weekly creative sessions, the boys explored memories of home, loss, hope and belonging using storytelling, poetry, music and visual art. Together we created a book, original soundscape and schools programme that enabled them to share their experiences in their own words.

The project was never about reliving trauma.

It was about giving the boys control over how their story was told and creating opportunities for others to understand the realities of forced migration beyond newspaper headlines. As their confidence grew, they spoke on local radio, appeared at public events and worked alongside schoolchildren, artists and storytellers to encourage honest conversations about displacement, resilience and hope.

Sharing Stories, Building Understanding

Throughout the project, hundreds of children and young people encountered the boys' story through workshops, performances and the illustrated book.

Rather than focusing only on the dangers of their journey, audiences came to know two young people who loved music, missed their mothers, remembered homemade bread and dreamed of a safe future.

The response was deeply moving.

Children wrote messages of hope and friendship, expressing not pity but understanding. Many reflected that hearing the boys speak had changed the way they thought about refugees and people seeking asylum.

The Impact

The creative process became transformative for the boys themselves.

Sharing their story helped rebuild confidence, strengthened relationships with teachers and foster carers, and gave them a renewed sense of identity and purpose. Their spoken and written English flourished, while public speaking and creative collaboration enabled them to become powerful advocates for understanding and compassion.

Perhaps most importantly, the project demonstrated that stories told by those with lived experience have the power to challenge fear, reduce prejudice and create lasting empathy.

Lasting Legacy

Today the boys have built successful lives in the UK, but 5000 Miles continues to resonate because it reminds us that every person seeking refuge carries far more than a journey. They carry memories, hopes, talents and the desire to belong.

For Verd de Gris Arts, the project remains a powerful example of what can happen when creativity begins with listening. By creating space for two young people to tell their own story, audiences discovered something far greater than the details of a remarkable journey—they discovered the humanity that connects us all.

This moving and important project was very kindly supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and Community Foundation for Calderdale.