Hardship Loans assist in the day-to-day expenses of refugees and the underprivileged
Back in 2020, The Altenburg Foundation gave RefuAid £20,000 as an ongoing loan, to provide people who have fled their homes with tailored support to build independent and dignified lives in the UK. This has been offered to individuals and once they pay it back, the money then supports the next recipient.
Having worked closely with charity RefuAid, The Altenburg Foundation looked at assisting those who needed help in the UK, but for whatever reason were slipping through the net of typical aid. The Altenburg Foundation now provides interest-free loans of up to £20,000 to pay for the UK licensing or training refugees need to get back to their field of work in the UK. These Hardship Loans also assist in the day-to-day expenses of refugees, many of whom are unable to work until visas are approved. This help has proved to be invaluable and ensures that key skills are not put to waste.
The Altenburg Foundation also provides interest-free loans to those from underprivileged backgrounds in the UK, who may not have had the same opportunities to study and be successful without financial aid. This ensures they have the ability to reach their full potential. To date, The Altenburg Foundation has already given 6 equal access loans of various amounts, some in lump sum and others as a monthly allowance support. These are interest-free rolling loans that are repaid by the sponsored individual and then transferred to new people, therefore allowing a cycle of beneficiaries.
We maintain a close relationship with those we sponsor so that we are able to help and support them, in addition to the access loan, with connections through our own network and moral support through the family. This is especially advantageous to the sponsored refugees, and is something we all benefit greatly from.
Testimonials
I would like to thank the Altenburg Foundation from the bottom of my heart for the hardship loan and generous support. I would like to provide some context so you can understand the significance of what you did and how your hardship loan helped me achieving my goals. First and foremost, this hardship loan was essential to me because I was required to register with an official body to work as a professional. Thankfully, once the hardship loan was secured, I was able to focus on my goals rather than my financial burden. My objective, with the help of this hardship loan, was to help a fellow: I was able to pay for my housing rent, utilities bills, food, and transportation, among other essentials. In addition, I had to enrol in a course and pay a fee to be fully prepared for the exam. I then booked the exams I needed to take. As a matter of fact, I would have to travel to a different city to take the exam, which means I would need funding to cover transportation, hotel accommodations, and food. It’s clear that the hardship loan played a pivotal role in all these stages. The Altenburg Foundation’s hardship loan was extremely crucial for the dream to become a reality now that I have passed my exam, completed my professional registration, and fulfilled my goals. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the members of the Altenburg Foundation who tirelessly work to make this world a better place for people like me. And to all the wonderful souls who unfailingly support the great cause of this foundation, you may not see the smiles you put on everyones faces but know that everything you do every day has a profound effect on happiness and success! Syrian Refugee
TAF has been a great support to me both personally and professionally. The Altenburg’s have supported me every step of the way on my road to being a professional athlete and through the ups and downs of my personal life. What means the most to me, is their genuine interest and belief in me as an athlete, and their honest concern, care and attention they devote to me as a person. Knowing you have someone who truly cares about you and believes in you makes a massive difference and is sometimes all you need to make it through difficult times. Anthony O.
I am grateful for the generosity of The Altenberg Foundation in support of my academic studies. Growing up in a single-parent household the importance of education has always been ingrained within me to develop my academic potential and pursue excellence. Therefore, my academic career is something I have prioritised greatly, however, the immense costs associated with attending university were a pressure that weighed heavily upon me prior to and during my studies. At various points during my degree, there were moments of financial uncertainty, which affected my morale and focus, but with the support of The Altenberg Foundation, I was able to complete my studies with peace of mind and focus on my final year exams. I’m delighted to announce that I successfully completed my finals achieving a high 2:1 in Human, Social, and Political Sciences from Cambridge University. The Altenberg Foundation was integral in my journey and impressed upon me the importance of creating a community and supporting others who may be less privileged than myself. I hope the work of the Foundation continues to support those individuals from lower socio-economic and underrepresented backgrounds. Adedamola L.
The Altenburg Foundation stands behind vulnerable people and helps them at their toughest point in life. I was left behind by the gaps within the immigration system in the UK, and the long waiting times. Covid-19 came through and further worsened things for me. In spite of me holding 3 major degrees, I had to work at McDonalds to survive. I respect all types of jobs but that one was really tough, working very long hours with little money to spend on food and barely rent. I had been accepted at a job in a consultancy company in my field of expertise, but because of my undecided asylum claim and the pandemic, I was told that my placement will not be granted and I was again left for nothing, not being able to work in my field, losing the job at McDonalds, and not having any money to keep alive.
A call came from a friend saying The Altenburg foundation might give you a hand in this unprecedented situation. A very nice and respected lady from The Altenburg Foundation called me, asked me about my situation, supported me mentally and offered monthly payments for me to put food on the table and pay my rent. I was really surprised by her generous act and kindness. She also linked me with a friend of hers who works for a start-up in my field of expertise, so I worked there as a volunteer to expand my knowledge. After my asylum application was decided, I was able to enrol in the Government Universal Credit, shortly before I found a great job with one of the greatest companies in my specialisation. I am grateful to The Altenburg Foundation for their help and support, and I will pay back my interest-free loan in full so they can help more people in need. A.A.