My name is Mohammed Ahmed Al-Esayi. I was born and raised in the city of Aden, Yemen, where I completed my education up to secondary level. In 2000, at the age of 19, I made the life-changing decision to move to the United Kingdom. From the very first day I arrived, Sheffield became my home, and it has remained my home ever since.

Leaving my family and everything familiar behind at such a young age was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. I arrived in a country that was completely different from the one I had known—economically, socially, and culturally. The language barrier was my greatest obstacle. I could not speak English, and for two years I struggled to understand and to be understood. Those early years were filled with uncertainty, isolation, and determination. However, they also shaped my resilience and strengthened my belief that with perseverance, anything is possible.

Learning English opened the door to opportunity. I continued my education and went on to graduate from Sheffield Hallam University with a Master’s degree in International Business Management. That achievement was not just an academic milestone; it was proof to myself that hard work and faith can transform even the most difficult beginnings into success.

Integrating into British society was not something that happened overnight. It was a gradual journey built through friendships formed during my studies and through my professional life. Working for eight years in the Human Resources department at Royal Mail gave me valuable experience and a deeper understanding of workplace culture in the UK. It also gave me confidence, independence, and a strong sense of belonging.

Throughout this journey, YAFA Charity Organisation played a vital role in my life. I volunteered with YAFA during my early years in Sheffield, and it became more than just a community organisation—it became a source of support, encouragement, and stability. At a time when I was finding my way in a new country, YAFA provided guidance and reassurance. The relationships I built with volunteers and members of the charity helped shape the person I am today.

My connection to YAFA is rooted in loyalty, gratitude, and deep appreciation. The organisation stood by me when I was building my future, and it reminded me that even far from home, community matters.

Today, I am proud to serve as a trustee of YAFA and as the Chairperson. I accepted this responsibility because I believe wholeheartedly in giving back to the community that once supported me. I know what it feels like to arrive in a new country without language, without direction, and without certainty. I also know the power of having a community that believes in you.

As a trustee, I am committed to ensuring that YAFA continues to be a place of hope, opportunity, and belonging. I want young people and families in our community to feel supported, empowered, and confident in building their futures. My role is driven not only by duty, but by gratitude, lived experience, and a genuine desire to strengthen the bonds that unite our community for generations to come.

I was born in Yemen and arrived in Sheffield in 1994 with little more than hope and determination. I did not come from privilege or influence. I came with belief - belief that through education, hard work, and resilience, I could build a meaningful life.

Settling in Fir Vale and Burngreave areas of Sheffield, I grew up balancing two identities: proud of my Yemeni heritage while learning to navigate British society. My time at Earl Marshal School was my first real test of integration. It was not always easy. I experienced racism and discrimination, moments that could have discouraged me. Instead, they strengthened me. They taught me resilience, self-belief, and the importance of standing firm in my identity.

Education became my foundation. Studying Business at Norton College gave me not only technical knowledge, but confidence — the confidence to step into professional spaces and compete. It showed me that background does not define potential.

Through years of discipline, sacrifice, and calculated risk, I built successful businesses in the Retail and Real Estate sectors. From humble beginnings, I became a Director and employer, creating opportunities for others and contributing to Sheffield’s economy. My journey stands as proof that with persistence and focus, barriers can be broken.

But success, to me, is not measured solely by financial achievement. It is measured by impact. Having lived the experience of arriving as a young migrant and building a life from the ground up, I understand the obstacles our communities face — limited networks, low expectations, and the absence of visible role models.

As a Trustee of the Yafa Charity Organisation, I am driven by one clear purpose: to ensure our heritage empowers rather than limits us. I want our young people to see leadership, professionalism, and entrepreneurship within their own community — and to believe they can achieve even more.

My journey from immigrant to business leader is not just a personal story. It is a message to the next generation: Your starting point does not determine your destination, and I remain committed to using mine to open doors for others.

I was born in Aden, Yemen and arrived in the UK with my family in 2012 at the age of 16, seeking asylum because of the conflict in Yemen. Like many refugee families, we arrived with very little and faced significant challenges, particularly the language barrier. We spoke almost no English, and everything around us felt unfamiliar. However, I made a decision early on that my circumstances would not define or limit my future.

I enrolled on an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Level 3 course and immersed myself in learning. Education quickly became my pathway to integration, confidence, and opportunity. After completing a Level 1 BTEC in Science, I went on to study GCSEs in Maths, English, Science, and Psychology.

During this journey, I faced a significant setback. When I applied for an Access course, I was refused entry because a course administrator did not believe that a refugee like me would be capable of completing it. This was my first experience of institutional discrimination. It was a difficult moment, but it strengthened my resolve rather than weakening it. I refused to accept someone else’s limited expectations of me.

Instead, I enrolled at another college to study A Levels in Science and Psychology. I completed them successfully and progressed to the University of Leicester, where I earned a degree in Biochemistry. I later achieved a Master’s degree in Biotechnology, Bioprocessing, and Business Management from the University of Warwick. I continue to aspire to further academic achievement and hope to pursue a PhD in the future.

My journey has taught me that resilience, determination, and belief can overcome even the most entrenched barriers. Education transformed my life, not only by opening doors academically and professionally, but by empowering me with confidence and purpose.

I became a trustee because I want to ensure that other young people—especially those from refugee and disadvantaged backgrounds—are not defined by their circumstances or limited by low expectations. I want them to see what is possible, to believe in their own potential, and to have access to the support and opportunities that allow them to thrive.

I am committed to helping create pathways where none seem to exist, and to ensuring that every young person we support feels seen, valued, and capable of achieving greatness.

I was born in Sheffield to Yemeni parents. My father arrived in the UK at the age of 10, and my mother came in the mid-1980s. Growing up, my father often spoke to me about his lived experience—about the challenges he faced, the discrimination he encountered, and the resilience he had to build in order to succeed. At the time, I thought he might have been exaggerating. However, as I grew older, I began to experience the same racism and discrimination he had warned me about.

Those experiences were difficult, but they shaped me. Over time, I developed coping mechanisms that helped me understand a deeper truth: much of racism stems from ignorance and misunderstanding. Many people form opinions about cultures and religions they do not truly know, often influenced by negative portrayals in sections of the media or social media. Rather than allowing these experiences to make me withdrawn or resentful, I chose a different path. I made it a point to address issues directly and engage in open conversations with those who may not understand me.

I found that the most powerful way to break down barriers was through meaningful engagement. Sport became that bridge. I volunteered for a local grassroots football club, Upperthorpe United FC, which later amalgamated into Aden Steelers FC. Football brought together young people from different backgrounds, communities, from all parts of Sheffield and South Yorkshire. Through this work, I built strong relationships with coaches, volunteers, and families from diverse backgrounds. More importantly, the children had the opportunity to mix with peers they might never otherwise have met, building friendships that crossed cultural and social divides.

Although I am no longer able to coach due to mobility issues, my commitment to community engagement has not changed. That is why I chose to become a trustee at YAFA Charity Organisation. I remain deeply passionate about supporting young people, especially those from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds, to integrate, build confidence, and learn from one another.

I believe that true community cohesion comes from connection, understanding, and shared experiences. Through my role as trustee, I am committed to continuing this work—creating opportunities for young people to grow, challenge stereotypes, and realise their full potential in a society where they feel they truly belong.

I was born in Sheffield in July 1973. My mother came to the UK while she was pregnant with me, and my father had arrived much earlier, in 1958. My earliest memories are of living in a terraced house with no central heating and an outside lavatory. My father worked long hours as a machinist at Jacobs Manufacturing on Archer Road, making drill chuck heads. It was a well-paid job, but it demanded a lot of him.

Eventually, in 1980 we moved to a larger house in the Upperthorpe area of Sheffield, a neighbourhood made up of a mix of working-class and lower middle-class families. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, I believed racism was normal. I experienced discrimination frequently as a child, but at the time I didn’t have the understanding or awareness to recognise it for what it was. It was only later in adulthood, through reflection, that I understood those experiences as discrimination.

In 1982, everything changed. My father was made redundant, along with many other men in Sheffield during that period. Life became extremely difficult. Not only did I continue to face racism, but poverty became a new and painful reality. We had to rely on state benefits and support. I hated it. At school, having to queue separately at lunchtime with other children whose parents were unemployed was humiliating. Wearing state-supplied clothing marked you out instantly. Wherever you went, people could tell you were poor and that your father was out of work. I felt deep shame.

However, those experiences also gave me determination. They pushed me to work hard and to succeed. Although discrimination still exists today, it is no longer as overt as it was during my childhood. It is more subtle, but it is still there.

I have four children—three daughters and a son—who are now all adults and successful in their own ways. I was determined that my experiences growing up would not hold them back, but instead become a source of strength. My parents were illiterate in English, which limited the support they could give me. I, on the other hand, had the knowledge and lived experience to guide my children through education and life.

This is why I joined YAFA: to help children like me—first-generation children of immigrants—to achieve their goals sooner, rather than having to wait for the next generation to break through.

Khalid Hadrami

I was born in Yemen and moved to the United Kingdom with my mother in the early 1980s to reunite with my father. I am the eldest of five siblings. My father worked long shifts in the steel industry and was rarely at home, as he worked tirelessly to provide for our family. As the eldest child, I took on significant responsibilities, supporting my mother and helping to care for my younger siblings from a young age.

Growing up, I experienced racism and discrimination both at school and within the local community. We lived near the Sheffield United FC football ground, and it was common for away fans to direct racist abuse at my mother, siblings, and me when we were caught in match-day crowds. On one occasion, a brick was thrown through our living room window. These experiences were frightening and deeply impactful, shaping my understanding of the challenges faced by minority communities.

Following these incidents, we moved to Broomhall, which at the time was considered a deprived area with a large and diverse immigrant population, including families from the Caribbean, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, and Afghanistan. Despite its challenges, Broomhall was a vibrant melting pot of cultures. It was there that I first attended a local youth club at Broomhall Community Centre.

That youth club had a profound influence on me. It opened my eyes to what is possible when volunteers and community members come together with a shared purpose to improve the area they call home. The dedication and collective spirit I witnessed there inspired me deeply. That inspiration continues to guide my work today at YAFA Charity Organisation, where I remain committed to supporting and empowering our community—particularly young people, who are our future leaders and volunteers.