I was a child refugee from Iraq and I want to thank Gary Lineker

My family are not lone example of 'foreigners' wanting to integrate into the UK society. Mo Farah, who has won multiple awards in Athletics for Britain, came to the UK as a child from Somalia barely speaking a word of English

Gary Lineker came under scrutiny after criticising the handling of the refugee crisis (Getty)

My family fled our home nation of Kurdistan in 1999 due to the civil war. My father, like many other Kurds, fled Iraqi Kurdistan to find a better life in Europe for his family as a result of the oppression we faced by Saddam’s regime. He always said that if he had to choose between the wrath of Saddam and risk his family’s life or negativity from a minority that didn’t want him in Britain, he would have always chosen the latter option.

Compassion shown by Gary Lineker about the treatment of refugees led to an outcry negative responses: “Why aren’t you taking them in Gary?”, “They come here and take our benefits” and the classic “They come for our jobs”. Perhaps, some of you should make your mind up. Do we take your jobs or do we take your benefits?

I wanted to share my story of coming to Britain, and being here for more than just stealing your jobs or your benefits.

I was four when I came to Europe – first we settled in Holland and eventually we moved to the United Kingdom. As a child refugee life wasn’t always easy as some may have you believe. In school I struggled with the language, grew up in relative poverty, and faced racism. However, we integrated, learned the language and adapted to become part of British society.

In 2016, the government declared that “experts call for employers and universities to do more to address STEM skills shortages” – all of my siblings, myself included, studied STEM subjects at top universities across the UK. I’m currently a Chemical Engineering undergraduate at the University of Leeds.

We are not a lone example of “foreigners” wanting to integrate into the UK society. Mo Farah, who has won multiple awards in Athletics for Britain, came to the UK as a child from Somalia barely speaking a word of English. The late Zaha Hadid was the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize – she was born in Iraq and became a naturalised citizen of the United Kingdom. The list goes on and on about those who came to Britain and made a difference.

No matter what, I’m extremely thankful for what the UK has given me. Me and my family have had multiple chances to move abroad and make a lucrative living. We never accepted those offers because Britain is now our home. The people that have welcomed and accepted us have been far greater than those who didn’t. We want to be here and help Britain grow, pay back the debt that we feel that we owe Great Britain, and work towards making Britain great, no matter how much negativity some throw at us.

If we weren’t forced out of our homes in Kurdistan, we wouldn’t have moved. But I want to make it clear that my family didn’t come here to sponge off the British society. We came here to be part of your society.

So thank you Gary, for showing compassion for those that need it.