Black History Month - Modern Slavery & Sir Mo Farah’s story

Black History Month continues and this week we raise awareness on British athlete, Sir Mo Farah's story. A victim of Modern Slavery, read his story below.

Sir Mo Farah on Modern Slavery “For years I just kept blocking it out”

An innocent child victim, tricked by an adult, taken away from family and friends through deceit, forced to work and stay quiet, and given enough food to survive, British Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah recently shared his traumatic childhood memory reflecting the reality of Modern Slavery.

Farah revealed that his father, Abdi, was killed by stray gunfire when he was four years old, in civil violence in Somalia. Somaliland declared independence in 1991 but the war is not internationally recognised.

When he was 9 years old, he was taken by a woman he had never met before, she tells him that he would be reuniting with his long-lost family, so with the prospect of a better life and the vision of familiarity, he innocently boarded a plane for the first-ever time excitingly building castles in the air.

As he landed in the UK, he would be known as Mohamed Farah, the name given to him by his overseer. Suddenly his castle would crumble, as she rips his family contact list and exiled him to the life of a servant threatened by the waiver of seeing his relatives or getting a ration of food.

When he was finally permitted to attend school, his former form tutor described him as “unkempt and uncared for,” with the lack of English language he was a “emotionally and culturally alienated” child.

Running was Sir Mo Farah’s saving grace, he describes it as his lifeline, a way of getting away from his living situation, an offer of escape. It was his PE teacher that he confided in, at which point he was able to find a permanent solace and begin to piece his identity back together.

When his mother finally had the chance to hold him again, she explained that ‘the land was devastated, they were living in a place with nothing.’ With no means, she sent her son away to his uncle so that he could have something, for a mother it was her last attempt to offer her son deliverance from a war that was tearing at any hope of a future.

The Mo Farah we know today has overcome these horrific trials and tribulations to become one of the UK’s most iconic athletes, but many others did not meet the same fate.

A prominent issue that affects thousands of people each year - Support is here

The EmbRACE group, believe it is important to highlight a prominent issue that affects thousands of people each year in the UK alone. The good people around Mo have supported him and he has given joy to many people in the UK. We might never have had a chance to watch his greatness, his achievements such as the 2012 Olympics had it not been for the ‘extra ordinary’ people like Mr Watkinson, Mo Farah’s PE teacher who looked beyond the unkept, unspoken young child but saw his potential for greatness.

If you or anyone you know has experienced Modern Slavery, we’re here for you as a Society. We’d like to encourage you to find out more below:

• Modern Slavery - click here

• Contact our HR department if you need additional support. You can also contact one of the EmbRACE team directly if you would like to have an informal chat

• Human Trafficking Policy here

The Society EmbRACE team helps Your Co-op support diversity and inclusion. If you would like to become an active member of the group, or would like to see more about our initiatives, then please contact us here.

If you believe or suspect a breach of this Policy has occurred or that it may occur, you must report it immediately by speaking to your Line Manager, the Society Secretary & Head of Governance or via a confidential phone line 0800 458 7809 (further details can be found in the Whistleblowing Policy) You can also call the Modern Slavery Helpline for advice and guidance on 0800 0121 700.

If you missed last week's story on 'Celebrating our Leaders & Pioneers' click here.