This challenge is to show solidarity with a refugee by buying at face value the vouchers asylum seekers are given instead of cash benefit. This gives them greater choice to buy what they want.
How would you cope if you had no cash? If you could only buy food in one named supermarket, which might be a long way from your home.
This is the situation of those asylum seekers who receive support from the government under certain conditions, for example if their case is subject to judicial review.
They receive £35 in supermarket vouchers per week and they rarely have the choice of which vouchers they receive. As a result, asylum seekers often sell their vouchers for much less than face value (around £20 rather than £35), so that they can buy bus tickets to attend college, to report at immigration reporting centres or to attend medical and legal appointments.
You can help buy buying the vouchers, giving them cash to use as they need.
Isidore (pictured right), says, “I receive £35 in vouchers every week. I can go either to Asda or Sainsbury.
“I have no other source of income apart from these vouchers as I am not allowed to work while my claim is being processed.
Being able to exchange these vouchers against cash has allowed me to buy more food as I can go to local African markets where it is less expensive. With this cash I can also stay in touch with friends and family by Internet. Or I can pay for a fax or a photocopy to my solicitor in order to process my claim.
JRS is one of the only organisations I know of doing this exchange. It is so useful.”
Download the Community Challenge sheet to start:
Supermarket Voucher Exchange Scheme Challenge
For more on the injustice of the system, read Chipo's story on the BBC News website.
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