A REFUGEE who fled persecution in her home country has spoken of her life-changing experiences since moving to Plymouth.

Lilas Ohen travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the UK in 2004 with her family, was granted refugee status in 2006 and is now an established British Citizen.

The mother from Stoke works as a cleaner at Plymouth City Council, is studying for a foundation degree in business management at City College Plymouth and sits on a local forum that discusses support issues for the refugee community in Devon.

A huge achievement for someone who couldn't speak a word of English when she first arrived in the UK.

"I used to have to type in French and that had to be translated into English," said Lilas, who lives with husband Jean-Luc and their three daughters Naomi, aged 14, Glory, four and Holly, three. Her eldest daughter, 19-year-old Devine and 18-month-old granddaughter live nearby.

"Even basic communication was a very difficult process."

Now English is her fifth language along with French, Lingala and two others from Africa. She spoke about her story as part of Refugee Week.

While juggling her hectic life with that of a young mum, Lilas is also a volunteer community first aid educator with the British Red Cross. She provides first aid training to vulnerable groups in the community.

"My father worked with the Congolese Red Cross for many years," said the 37-year-old.

"It was my father that taught me from an early age that helping others was a good thing to do.

"When I was a teenager I began volunteering at the Congolese Red Cross, initially to please my father. But I witnessed so many terrible things and encountered so many disadvantaged people that I soon realised it was something I had to continue to do."

She said volunteering in the war torn African country was very different to here in the UK.

"One day I may be distributing food to the starving; the next I could be transporting the war-injured to hospitals or clearing dead bodies from the street. It was a very difficult time but there was so much to be done from a humanitarian perspective. I just had to get on with it."

Before coming to the UK, Lilas owned and ran her own taxi and car hire business. Using profits from her company she set up her own charity supporting people in hospitals and prisons with no family to support them.

"The difference between the Congo and here is that the needs of the most vulnerable are obvious in the Congo," she said.

"I could walk down the street and see death, but here in the UK the needs of the most vulnerable people are often hidden. It goes on behind closed doors which can make it even more difficult to deal with as it's easier to turn a blind eye."

Lilas continues to support her charity from the UK and with her wages she buys clothes, medical equipment and other vital supplies from car boot sales and markets and ships them back to hospitals.

During Refugee Week, which launched today and runs until Sunday, the British Red Cross is urging people to find out more about the positive contributions refugees are making to life in the UK.

For more information visit www.redcross.org.uk/refugee and for local events www.facebook.com/refugeeweekplymouth.