My name is Emanuel Tuzuzila, and this is a story I never thought I would have to tell.

I was taken to the UK when I was just 3 years old. That is where I grew up, where I went to school, where I learned to speak, where I became the person I am. The UK is the only home I have ever truly known. I was raised in the care system for most of my life, without the stability or support that many take for granted—but it was still my home.

Nine years ago, my life changed overnight.

I was deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo—a country I did not know, a place where I had no family, no friends, no support, and no understanding of how to survive. I arrived at Ndjili Airport alone, confused, and afraid. With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, I slept outside the airport for two days.

Imagine being sent to a place you don’t know, with nothing but the clothes on your back.

Life only got harder from there. I became seriously ill and, at one point, I was close to death. Weak, alone, and unable to care for myself, I ended up in a rural hospital bed in Kimbaseki. I was found in a critical condition—bedbound and barely surviving. By what feels like a miracle, I was helped by a humanitarian mission who found me and made sure I got the care I needed to stay alive.

But surviving is not the same as living.

Today, I am still in Kinshasa, and every day is a struggle. I live in extreme poverty, without stable shelter, income, or access to consistent medical care. The hardship is constant, and the feeling of being forgotten is heavy.

The hardest part of all is the life I left behind.

I am a father of five children who are still in the UK. Being separated from them has been the deepest pain I have ever known. I have missed birthdays, milestones, and the simple moments that mean everything. I carry that loss with me every single day.

I am asking for help—not just to survive, but to rebuild some part of my life with dignity. Your support could help me access basic needs like food, shelter, and medical care, and give me a chance to find stability again.

No one should have to go through this alone.

Please, if you can, donate or share my story. Every bit of support brings hope where there has been so little.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.