Bilbil's story

My name is Bilbil, I'm 19 and have been in the UK for four years. I'm a refugee who came here seeking asylum.

I left Kosovo - a country in Europe - because of the war. I came here alone and haven't seen any of my family in five years. I don't know where they are or what they are doing. I don't even know if they're alive or dead. I can't explain how hard it is, you live with them for 15 years and suddenly, because of something you have no choice over, you don't see or hear from them again.

The Red Cross have looked for my family but when they went to the house it was burnt down. No one knows where they are. I don't want to think what may have happpened to them.

I didn't want to get involved with the fighting at home - the only thing I could do was escape

There were people in Kosovo who helped people leave the country. They chose England for me, saying it was the best place because I wanted an education.

The police arrested me as soon as I arrived. It was very scary; they had dogs and were shouting. I didn't speak any English. Eventually they got me a translator who spoke Albanian and was able to help.

They soon realised I was seeking asylum, under 18 and without my parents

I was put into a house with four other asylum seekers, not just guys from Kosovo. We'd all been through so much. None of us chose to leave our families. No one wanted to see their countries go through war and have their friends killed.

We're here becuase we want to make things better for ourselves and hopefully for our families, but no one seemed to see that - it always felt like we were criminals, that we had done something wrong.

One of my worst experiences was going to court. A judge had to decide wether I was allowed to live in the UK or I had to go back to Kosovo.

The whole experience was scary. Nothing was explained to me, I didn't even know who all the people in court were, I still don't.

All these people were making decsions about me. But the only question the judge asked me directly was, "do you think Kosovo is a minor or major country?" I had no idea what he meant! He just said "you must know. You can't be from Kosovo if you can't even answer such a question."

The judge decided I was lying and would have to go back to Kosovo when I was 18

My solicitor asked for an appeal. I wasn't allowed to go to this appeal, but I did see all the paperwork. The second judge said that a lot of what the first judge did was wrong. Despite saying this, he still thought I had to leave England.

They say I can go back because the war is over. If I go back, what can I do? I can't go to school or college. What can I do? Play with guns?

If I had to go back it would take away my education. I'm just starting business studies A-level and want to go to university to take a degree in business management. I have a lot of ambition and want to succeed. I feel that I can do this if I'm given a chance in this country, but I'm not sure I will ever get this chance.