Community is our superpower - Israel and Kowther's stories
22 June 2026
When Israel arrived in Northern Ireland he was overwhelmed with feelings of isolation. But his life changed when he connected with Belfast City of Sanctuary.
It was there that he discovered the power of connecting with your community. The organisation also helped Kowther fleeing war in Sudan find the same connection.
After arriving in Northern Ireland from Nigeria in 2006, Israel felt lost. He and his family faced racism. Israel says: "I felt excluded in so many ways."
Finding Belfast City of Sanctuary changed his life. They helped him and his family access support, navigate services and begin to feel part of the community.
City of Sanctuary gave me answers when I had none. They told me, ‘We are here to support you’ and they meant it. They took us to the places we needed to go to get help, taking time out of their days because they genuinely cared. They even attended my wife’s graduation. Before long, we felt truly embedded in the community.
Israel - Co-ordinator
Giving back to the community
Israel felt grateful for the support and wanted to give back. He joined the organisation in 2016, helping it grow into what it is today.
Belfast City of Sanctuary creates a welcoming place for:
refugees
asylum seekers
newcomers in Belfast and across Northern Ireland
How National Lottery funding has supported Belfast City Sanctuary
With National Lottery funding, they run an annual free event, The Great Refugee Week Picnic. This brings people together to celebrate culture, connection and community.
For attendees like 23-year-old Kowther, they offer a sense of belonging. Kowther came to Belfast after fleeing war in Sudan. And after studying biomedical sciences in Belfast, she now works as a youth worker. She helps young people find the same community connection and sense of belonging that she has found.
I love the picnic as it’s a time for people from the community to come together and celebrate and appreciate that there is that story behind every refugee. It's wonderful to see people come together as a community - as community is our superpower.
Kowther - service user
The organisation continues to grow, helping more people feel welcomed and connected.
If you have an idea for a project that brings people together take a look at our funding programmes.