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Hussin & Red Cross/Sarah & Iwan

Documentary series. Hussin Zahra was a businessman in Syria but when civil war broke out, he realised he had to flee for the safety of his family.

As a school girl, Sarah Lindfield became pregnant and made the heart-wrenching decision to give her baby son Daniel for adoption. All his life, Daniel Williams, now called Iwan, longed to meet his birth mum. At the age of 21, Iwan requested his adoption papers from Social Services. The papers revealed his mother's full name, but there was still something standing in Iwan's way - the courage to make contact. Years later, with the help of a genealogist, Iwan tracked down his mum's address and mother and son soon met up. Overjoyed to have found each other, today they meet up again in Lincolnshire, to see the house where Sarah lived when pregnant with Iwan.

Hussin Zahra was a successful businessman in Syria, but when civil war broke out, Hussin realised he had to flee for the safety of his family. Together with his wife, children and extended family, Hussin travelled to a refugee camp in Egypt. He then made the heart-wrenching decision to leave his wife, daughters and baby son in Egypt, while he, his 11-year-old son and nephew made the perilous passage across the Mediterranean in a refugee boat. Once in Calais, they lived in a refugee camp before travelling to the UK in the back of a lorry. Securing asylum, Hussin turned to the British Red Cross to trace his family. After seven months and the involvement of a huge international team, the Red Cross finally brought Hussin's family over to the UK. They are now all happily living in Birmingham and building a new lives for themselves.

29 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Angellica Bell
Executive Producer Sam Wilson
Executive Producer Rob Butterfield
Series Producer James Christie-Miller
Production Company Ricochet

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