Asylum seeker who fled war-torn Syria has found peace in Greenock

Rouzin Asaad arrived in the town almost three years ago as part of the UN Resettlement Programme after spending two troubled years in Kurdistan.

During that time she also lived in a resettlement camp where she became ill.

Now she is thriving in her home in Inverclyde thanks to the support of local people, the authorities and volunteer agencies.

Rouzin, 41, a veterinary scientist who previously worked in a lab before having to flee her homeland, said: "It's been quite a difficult journey.

"There was no electricity, no water, nothing.

"I have a big family but now they are living in different parts of the world."

Rouzin was alone in her family home in Syria near to the airport and would hear missile strikes and helicopters above.

She lived through the bombing campaign which devastated Damascus in 2012.

She initially lived in London and says it was initially a culture shock coming to Greenock's east end where she lives in a housing association flat.

Rouzin said: "I was used to living in a big city and this felt more like a village.

"It seemed very quiet.

"When I arrived in Scotland I found it difficult at first to understand what people were saying."

She told the Tele this has became easier as time has gone on and she has also got used to her surroundings.

Rouzin said: "You have the mountains and the river.

"I am very glad to be here.

"I will never go back to Syria."

Rouzin says one of the hardest things was to contend with was coping with loneliness.

But a visit to local community care forum Your Voice helped to put her in touch with the Supporting Communities Befriending Service.

Funded through the local health and social care partnership, it is based at Inverclyde Community Development Trust and staff matched her up with Liz Crossan, a retired teacher who lives in Gourock.

Rouzin says both Liz and her neighbour have made her feel so welcome and at home.

She said: "I am not just part of Liz's life but part of her family too.

"When she takes me to family events I forget I am alone and I know I have family here."

Paul Haggerty, project co-ordinator with the befriending service, said: "Although Rouzin and asylum seekers attend language classes and can be good at book learning, they may find it hard to go to the local shop to buy something, and our project can help with that."

Liz was formally Rouzin's befriender for 18 months but they have become firm friends.

She said: "I taught asylum children for seven years in Glasgow and I got to know some of the parents.

"It was interesting finding out where people came from and their different cultures and the problems they found moving to a new country.

"Rouzin is much more confident now her English has improved.

"It's very difficult to learn another language and I've tried to hep Rouzin with her English and taken her to different events.

"I have a big family so I've taken her along to family events, like a knitting bee.

"She is great at crochet and learned very quickly."

Rouzin has enjoyed discovering Scottish culture around significant dates and times such as Burns Night and Christmas,

Her neighbour also took her for a day to Edinburgh where she visited the Scottish Parliament.

Paul said: "Everyone, Rouzin's neighbours and the whole community, has been very nice.

"We have never had any problems."

Rouzin now hopes to continue to work to improve her English and wants to retrain to become a vet here.

Liz says hopes she can encourage more people to come forward to become a friend to someone new to this country.

She said: "It can be a wee bit daunting for people but we are all the same.

"Rouzin is a beautiful person - I have got so much from her friendship."