Shine A Light hears powerful stories of resilience from people rebuilding their lives in Wexford

What does it really mean to leave behind your home, your family, your career and everything you've ever known in search of safety?

That is the question at the heart of this week's Shine A Light with Siobhán Murphy, as three people now living in County Wexford share their deeply personal experiences of seeking international protection and starting over in Ireland.

While asylum seekers are often discussed in political debate and headlines, the people behind those stories are rarely given the chance to tell their own.

The special programme hears from Anne, originally from India, Dorcas from Zimbabwe and Mohammed from Sudan, each of whom has travelled a very different path to Wexford.

Anne: "All we had was hope."

Anne's story begins with what she describes as an idyllic childhood, spending much of her early life between India and Abu Dhabi before an arranged marriage at just 19 years of age dramatically changed the course of her life.

She described moving to a completely different part of India where the culture, language and expectations of women were vastly different from the life she had known.

Anne told the programme she endured abuse during the marriage before eventually leaving. While she chose not to discuss all of the circumstances that later led her family to seek international protection, she explained that a combination of factors ultimately forced them to leave India.

Arriving in Ireland in 2023 with little more than a small cabin bag, Anne said the asylum process was stressful and uncertain.

"We left everything we had. We didn't have any savings. We didn't have anything. All we had was hope."

She vividly remembers her first impression of Wexford.

"The first word that came to my mind was 'peace'. Looking at the River Slaney, the fresh air... I just thought, 'I'm safe.'"

Anne also challenged misconceptions surrounding asylum seekers, explaining that while accommodation is provided, people leave behind careers, possessions and financial security to begin again from nothing.

Today, she and her family are working and contributing to the local community, while Anne has also become involved in performances, including the National Opera.

One of the most emotional moments of the interview came when Anne spoke about losing her beloved grandmother after arriving in Ireland.

Unable to return home to say goodbye, she described it as her greatest regret.

Yet her story ends on a hopeful note.

Anne recently became engaged and spoke warmly about finding happiness again after choosing her own partner for the first time.

"The beauty about this marriage is that I chose it," she said describing the kindness and equality she has found in her new relationship

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Dorcas: "I was afraid for my life."

Listeners also meet Dorcas, who arrived in Ireland from Zimbabwe in October 2022 after fleeing what she described as sustained abuse and fearing for her safety.

She said attempts to seek help through community leaders and the authorities proved unsuccessful prompting her to leave her home country.

Choosing Ireland because she believed it to be a peaceful Christian country, Dorcas initially lived in Waterford before moving to Wexford.

She spoke honestly about the challenges of living in International Protection accommodation, sharing a room with seven other people from different countries and cultures.

Despite those difficulties, she credits volunteering with transforming her life, saying it has introduced her to new people, improved her mental health and helped her feel part of the community.

Today, she says she finally feels safe in Ireland, although returning to Zimbabwe remains something she fears

Mohammed: A life rebuilt twice

The programme also hears from Mohammed, whose extraordinary journey stretches from Sudan to Ukraine and finally to Ireland.

Born in Sudan, Mohammed moved to Ukraine in 1991 to study before building a life there over more than three decades.

Working as a translator  he also helped establish an organisation supporting African communities while promoting integration and tackling racism.

However, while visiting family in Sudan, Russia invaded Ukraine.

Almost overnight, he lost access to the country that had been his home for more than 30 years.

"It wasn't just my belongings I lost," he told Siobhán. "It was my memories, my friends, my work, my community—my whole life."

Unable to return, Mohammed sought Temporary Protection in Ireland, where he has once again begun rebuilding his future.

His remarkable story continues in the final part of the programme as he reflects on resilience, belonging and beginning again

The full Starting Over episode of Shine A Light with Siobhán Murphy is available to listen back in the podcast section of the South East Radio website and on all major podcast platforms

This programme is funded by the news reporting scheme