Crossing the Digital Divide: Sam's story

A struggle with the digital divide

Sam came to the UK as a refugee hoping to retrain and build a future for himself. In Iran, Sam was a highly skilled electrical engineer. With plenty of knowledge and experience, he wanted to retrain upon arrive to the UK – eager to be productive and “offer something back to the country.” 

However, Sam found it really difficult to find a job, and as a result, he couldn’t afford the internet or a device. He became depressed and lonely without a job or being able to speak to his friends and family in Iran.

"The internet is so expensive for migrants who have no jobs. I'd never be able to afford a device upfront."

A step towards digital inclusion

Tired of feeling lonely and unoccupied, Sam decided to improve his language skills, and decided to pay a visit to his local digital inclusion hub, Learn For Life, who are part of the National Digital Inclusion Network.

He said: 
“It changed and saved my life.”

A connection that saved his life

Alongside developing his English language skills, Sam built his digital skills. At Learn For Life, he received a free laptop that was paired with free data to get connected. He used the laptop and data to video call people back home, which “meant the world” to him.

Sam was finally able to join online classes with the laptop to help with his complex engineering training, which paved the way for him to become a qualified engineer in the UK.

On the support he received at Learn For Life, Sam said:

“It’s impossible to describe how much the Hub has helped me. I’ve gained a sense of belonging and comfort away from home. I’m not lonely anymore, and I really feel like coming to the Hub has saved my life. I feel closer to my dreams than ever before.”