The BBCIn 2015 Sabah’s life changed forever.
There had been four years of civil war in Syria and he and his family had been forced to flee.
After initially traveling to Turkey, a new chapter began in 2019 when his family arrived in Northern Ireland.
She had to leave behind loved ones, cherished memories and a life she once knew.
“Meeting other women from all over the world helped me to understand that my country is not the only one with problems and I want to help other women,” she said. I can see her trying to live a good life like me,” she said.
“Starting life in a new country was overwhelming, I didn’t speak much English, and everything was unfamiliar.”
Saba, her husband and their three children eventually settled in Dungannon, County Tyrone, where she became a member of the town’s First Steps Women’s Centre.
“From the moment I walked through the door, I found something I had never experienced before — a place where women were supported, encouraged and empowered,” she said.
“I was given English lessons and, five years later, I was able to get a full-time job as a translator, something I never thought would be possible.”
Sabah watched from Northern Ireland in recent weeks as the rebels launched a A major operation against the government in Syria, capturing cities and overthrowing the Assad regime..
“In some ways it’s been a strange time to be away from home with all that’s going on,” he said.
“But being a part of First Steps, it helped me build a good community with many women from different countries, so now I have many friends, so five years later I can say that we are love to.”
Dungannon is one of the most diverse towns in Northern Ireland, with over 3,500 people living in the area who were born outside the UK or Ireland.
First Steps Women’s Center works with women of more than 20 nationalities on everything from language classes to employment support and childcare.
It runs a range of workshops involving a mix of women who are refugees and have been in Northern Ireland for a relatively short time, as well as those who have lived here for years.
Alicia, who is originally from Moldova, has lived in Dungannon for seven years.
“I came to work and my English wasn’t very good when I first arrived, but First Steps helped change all that.”
“It’s a beautiful place, I started meeting many people from different countries, different communities, I feel happy when I’m here, it feels like a family.
“Since I’ve only been here for a while, I helped translate something for a lady who recently joined the group from Romania. I know what it’s like to live in a new place, so we all Take care of each other.”
In recent years, the group has included a number of women who fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
Svetlana came from Ukraine with her children in May 2022.
“It was a very scary time when we had to leave everything behind and to be honest, at first it was difficult for me to accept this new life,” he said.
“I didn’t have any friends, I didn’t know anyone and I didn’t realize at first that Dungannon was such a multi-ethnic city.”
“But being part of the First Steps groups has been a light in the dark,” she said.
“I have met women from many places, we exchange stories and traditions, and I know now I have to live my life.”
BBC News NI reported this earlier. The number of reported ethnic hate crimes in Northern Ireland has risen by a third in the last 12 months.
A number of businesses and homes were damaged in Belfast following anti-immigration protests in the city center over the summer.
Police have also investigated racially motivated hate crimes and incidents in County Tyrone in recent months.
Michael McGoldrick, CEO of the First Steps Center in Dungannon, said the organization was a safe place for everyone regardless of where they came from or their background.
“I think we all have struggles in life and it’s great to see so many women of different nationalities coming here with their ideas on how to improve their lives,” she said.
“I’m sure their hearts are aching at this time of year thinking about their countries, but we want them to find peace here, it’s not where they’re from but it’s their home now. “