Two Hatfield schoolgirls, who arrived in the UK two years ago from Ukraine and Italy, have created a leaflet to help other immigrants settle into life in the country.

Hanna Drumova and Meli Neli, of Bishop's Hatfield School, created the leaflet for their GCSE Citizenship.

The project features contact information for charities that can help immigrants in Hertfordshire, along with the experiences of both teenagers.

The Year 11s told this paper: "We are both immigrants who arrived two years ago in the UK and faced problems that many immigrants had faced, but have not shared these problems with society.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Hanna Drumova and family, on their first visit to London.Hanna Drumova and family, on their first visit to London. (Image: Hanna Drumova)

"The number of immigrants is increasing every year due to various reasons.

"Therefore, with the help of our project, we want to ensure that all subsequent immigrants arriving in the UK will be able to find help and the first necessary things from local charities and Red Crosses in Hertfordshire, and integrate into their new life."

Hanna, who moved to the UK from Ukraine with her family, added: "Leaving Ukraine, we left our entire life there and started a new one in a new country.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Hanna Drumova, on her first visit to London.Hanna Drumova, on her first visit to London. (Image: Hanna Drumova)

"My family was completely physically and mentally unprepared for such a big change as moving to another country where we have no work and prospects, and we were completely lost about how we would live further.

"We were very lucky to get to the UK through programme “Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship”, where the sponsor Raymond Little provided his home as a shelter for us in Hatfield and helped us with the all necessary things we need.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The first page of Hanna and Meli's leaflet.The first page of Hanna and Meli's leaflet. (Image: Hanna Drumova)

"The sponsor played a big role in our adaptation in England, and we are very grateful to him for that. With his help we found many charities, food banks and red crosses in Hertfordshire.

"They and our sponsor helped us with clothes, English courses, work, best schools in Hatfield for my sister and me, which are supporting us during our already two years of school journey and sessions with a psychologist that helped our mental health.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Hanna and Meli's stories feature in the leaflet.Hanna and Meli's stories feature in the leaflet. (Image: Hanna Drumova)

"This whole situation is not easy for our family, however we are still very grateful for all the help and support we have received here from charities, our sponsor and country and I do believe that it is important to contact organisations that can facilitate the adaptation of immigrants; for example organising evenings where you can meet new people and share your experiences and advice."

Meli, 16, arrived from Italy. She commented: "My family and I came to the UK two years ago from Italy to seek better education and to be closer to my other relatives.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The leaflet features a list of charities that can help immigrants in Hertfordshire.The leaflet features a list of charities that can help immigrants in Hertfordshire. (Image: Hanna Drumova)

"My sister and I were so enthusiastic about the idea of a new start in a new “dream” country, but my parents were not really prepared about the idea of adapting again from the beginning in a new place.

"My parents, a decade ago, moved from Albania to Italy in search for a better life as Albania is a poor country.

"They had to restart everything from the beginning to build a future for us and it was not easy and, for them, this idea to restart again and maybe not achieve the success of a good future in a new place, terrorised them.

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"As we came, the first couple of months for my parents weren't that easy: they were afraid of high prices and not able to learn English really quickly.

"Therefore we started looking for help, as I was finding it really difficult helping my parents every day during my own studies and coming up exams.

"We found those charities locally, that they manage to help us find a job for my dad and English courses for my mum which helped us to adapt more easily.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Contact details for a number of charities can be found on the leaflet.Contact details for a number of charities can be found on the leaflet. (Image: Hanna Drumova)

"We have created a leaflet that contains the main refugee charities in Hertfordshire and our experiences in this country as immigrants."