When Ali arrived in the UK at 15, he carried more than the weight of displacement. He was a refugee from Afghanistan who had lost both parents while fleeing conflict. Placed in the care of an “auntie”, Ali struggled to feel safe or settled. His days were marked by instability, bullying at school, and street robbery—experiences that reinforced a belief: that justice, protection, and opportunity were inaccessible for people like him.

Like many young people who have experienced loss and conflict, Ali felt pressure to be strong at all costs. Societal expectations around masculinity left him believing he had to be a “protector,” even as he was still grieving his parents and adjusting to a new country. With few spaces where he felt understood, Ali kept much of his pain to himself.

A place that understands

YOH exists precisely for young people like Ali.

Based in the East London and Essex, YOH was created to support marginalized and at-risk children and young people through activities that build skills, confidence and positive life pathways. Their work includes creative, educational, recreational and wellbeing-focused programmes that provide safe spaces for young people to explore, learn and grow — especially those who might otherwise “slip through the net” of mainstream services.

When Ali was introduced to YOH, there was no pressure to explain his story or to “fix” himself. Instead, he was invited into quiet anime-inspired drawing sessions to support his emotional regulation and connection.

At first, Ali spoke very little. But through drawing, he began to communicate his feelings building trust with YOH staff who had also experienced bereavement, displacement, or loss. For the first time since arriving in the UK, Ali felt part of a community that understood him without judgement.

Seeing possibility

Ali’s turning point came during a YOH summer showcase, where young people were invited to display their creative. When a visiting guest stopped at Ali’s artwork and praised his talent, the moment stayed with him. That recognition did more than validate his skill—it shifted how Ali saw himself.

Why this work matters

Ali’s story is just one example that shows what becomes possible when young people are given space, time, and the resources to heal and grow.

YOH’s work is rooted in community knowledge and lived experience. Their programmes are shaped by the realities young people face every day—and by the belief that creativity, peer connection, and consistency can be powerful tools.

Global Fund for Children is a proud funding partner of YOH, sharing a belief in the power of community-led solutions and the leadership of young people themselves.

Through flexible, long-term funding and a trusting partnership, GFC supports organisations like YOH to do what they do best: respond to local needs, adapt programmes, and centre young people’s strengths. Rather than imposing solutions, GFC invests in community-led organisations that are already trusted by the young people they serve.

For YOH, this support means stability. It means being able to offer safe spaces week after week. It means trained staff who can build lasting relationships. And it means young people like Ali can access support that is dignified and transformative.

Today, Ali’s journey is still unfolding—but he no longer walks it alone.

Call to action

When you support Global Fund for Children, you are helping to fund organisations like YOH—organisations that see young people not as problems to be fixed, but as individuals with talent and potential.

You are investing in partners who are dedicated to building a world where all children and youth are safe, supported and valued. And in doing so, you help create the conditions for lasting change—one community, and one young person, at a time.