Shaheen* had only been in the UK for a few weeks when her life fell apart, and she became homeless. The Passage helped her to rebuild it
Shaheen’s experience of homelessness after domestic abuse
“I first came to The Passage in early January 2022. It was freezing cold, I was so scared. I had only recently arrived in England from Pakistan as I was joining my husband who was living here. I did not know the area, where to go or what help was available.
I had been living with my husband, but the relationship had become abusive. He beat me a lot, but I was his wife, so I wanted to protect my husband still. Then one day he left me, with no money or food. Just vanished. When I returned to the house after taking a walk, a friend of my husband’s had locked me out from the inside.
It was so cold, I didn’t even have a scarf or gloves. I remember feeling as if the world around me was collapsing. I had come to England hoping to build a life with him, but suddenly I had nowhere safe to stay.
I had been in England for only a few weeks. Everything was unfamiliar, and I had nobody nearby who I felt I could turn to. I was not eating or sleeping properly and felt very weak. I ended up in St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. From there I was told about The Passage.
Walking through the doors was difficult because I had never imagined I would need help from a homelessness charity. I did not really understand what The Passage was.
Finding safety, stability and support
“I was simply hoping somebody would listen. The staff did much more than that. They made sure I was safe and helped me to understand my options. I was supported with a homelessness application, and I was offered a room at Newman Street – a service The Passage manages on behalf of Westminster City Council. I moved there that February of this year.
Having my own room at Newman Street made an enormous difference. For the first time in a long while, I could close the door and feel secure. I had my own space and personal belongings around me. After everything that had happened, it gave me somewhere to breathe and begin thinking about what came next.
Looking towards the future
Gradually, I began to trust the people supporting me. Newman Street was somewhere I could begin recovering rather than constantly worrying about where I would sleep.
I have also started to think positively about the future. I completed a baking course with Luminary Bakery, which helped me learn new skills and showed me that I am capable of building something for myself.
One day, I would love to open my own cafe. I am excited about that dream and about what my future could look like. When I first arrived at The Passage, I felt completely alone and could not imagine making plans. Now I can.
The Passage did not simply give me somewhere to stay. It gave me safety, support and the opportunity to begin again.”
A message from Nadia, Specialist Project Worker
Shaheen is a real success story, and I am incredibly proud of how far she has come. When she arrived at The Passage, she was frightened, uncertain and facing very bleak circumstances. She needed safety and consistent support while she began rebuilding her life.
Since then, she has worked extremely hard. Her progress has not always been straightforward, but she has shown remarkable determination and resilience throughout. She has gradually become stronger, more confident and increasingly independent.
What makes her journey so inspiring is the way she has turned such a difficult situation into one that now feels full of possibility. She is no longer simply trying to get through each day. She is making plans and thinking positively about what she wants from her future.
The support provided by The Passage and Newman Street – our temporary accommodation facility – has helped create the stability she needed, but Shaheen deserves enormous credit for what she has achieved herself. She has engaged with support, kept moving forwards and refused to let her past define what comes next.
She should be very proud of the life she is building. I certainly am, and it is wonderful to see her now facing the future with strength, independence and genuine hope.
NOTE: Names and details have been changed to protect her identity.