Janine GriffithsIn the heart of Harehills, a football tournament became much more than a game – it became a lifeline for one young man, and a powerful statement of solidarity from East Leeds.
Twelve teams gathered at Harehills Park on August 2nd for Dreaming with Ayman, a community-led football fundraiser aiming to raise £3,000 for a young Sudanese refugee named Ayman. The goal? To help him pay for the tuition of an access-to-medicine course, bringing him one step closer to reviving a dream that war almost destroyed.
“I’m very happy that people have come together to play and to share the passion of helping others,” Ayman said on the day. “This is a showcase of how the migrant community is able to show unity and help each other in spite of all the disadvantages they have.”
Ayman had already studied three years of medicine in Sudan before conflict forced him to flee, leaving behind his family, his country and his ambitions. “If it wasn’t for the war, I believe by now I would have become a doctor,” he said. “It was a really tragic moment to see that I had to leave my family and my dream – which I had nurtured for 12 years.”
Now almost a decade into life in the UK, Ayman described the asylum process as “tedious” and mentally exhausting. “It pushes on your mental capacity… I have seen people having sleepless nights, survivor guilt. It has been the same for me. It’s really difficult and devastating.
“But luckily, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by passionate people, people who are caring, and they’ve really helped me in a time where I was in need.”
Organised by local resident Chijioke Ojukwu in collaboration with East Side Story, the event drew teams and spectators from across Leeds, with a mix of food, music, connection and good-natured competition.
“It’s good to have people from different backgrounds coming together to socialise, to connect, but also to do it for a good cause,” said Ojukwu, who added: “It’s about how people can support Ayman to be what he wants to be.”
The £3,000 target will pay for the access course Ayman needs to apply to medical school in the UK. More than £2,500 has already been raised through team fees, donations and a GoFundMe page.
Keith Fenton, a local volunteer, said the day stood in stark contrast to the often-negative portrayal of Harehills in the press. “If you Google Harehills, you’ll see just mountains of poison,” he said. “It’s not as if problems don’t exist here – they do. But there’s also something really special. This is a very cohesive community, which is the envy of Leeds.
“There’s people from all over the world here. But everyone lives side by side with people from different cultures and they do this better than anyone.”
Fenton added, “The reason we’re raising money for Ayman’s medical fees is because around here, we lift each other up. We don’t put people down.
“Today has been run exclusively run by people in the community, for the community.”
That sense of mutual care resonated with many in attendance. “You get to give life to others instead of seeing their dream cut short,” said Rachel, another attendee. “That’s why we support. That’s why we fundraise.”
Ransome Oginni, a refugee education officer who works for Bradford Council, praised the unity on display. “It’s been competitive but fun, great camaraderie,” he said. “People from different organisations connecting, people from different backgrounds coming together. It’s really important, especially with what’s going on in the media right now. We need to show another side – a better side.”
For Ayman, this day was about more than money. It was about seeing his dream reflected back at him – in every player, every donation, every word of encouragement. “Now I see it’s possible because of the people here,” he said. “I’m really grateful for everyone.”
