We are so pleased that our dear friend Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu has won his asylum case and has been granted leave to remain in the UK.
Jenny fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2006 after it became apparent that his life would be in danger if he were to remain in the country following his vocal protestation against the Congolese regime. The decision comes after nearly fifteen years of limbo for Jenny; the indecision and lack of support meant that he experienced homelessness and destitution, but he has finally been granted refugee status and he can now settle without the constant threat of deportation.
We are incredibly proud that our short film, Congo's Activist in Exile, was used in court to provide evidence of the danger that Jenny would have faced upon return to the DRC, a move which would likely have led to his arrest, torture, and death. His vocal commitment to bringing an end to human rights abuses in the DRC stood out as a shining beacon of his moral character, and our film was able to capture the spirit of humanity that Jenny exudes through his dedication to building a better future for his homeland.
'You have succeeded in giving love, hope and meaning in my life, as well as to all those who expect life support from me. I have thousands of people behind me waiting for help of any kind, so many people will be saved just because of your support in one person's life.' - Jenny Dakosta Van Mputu
Jenny is continuing to raise awareness of the struggles that the Congolese people are going through and is building a campaign with colleagues in the UK to highlight mineral exploitation in the DRC.
We are proud to continue to support Jenny and work with him to bring awareness to the struggles of refugees and asylum seekers who are living in the UK.
For more on Jenny's story and his asylum case, take a look at this article from The University of Manchester.