A programme of Mendee CIC

Helping immigrants access information and integrate faster

We build multilingual digital platforms and community support for people with limited English across the UK. Free information hubs, AI assistant, searchable databases — all in 7 languages.

2,000+ community
7 languages
60+ guide pages
12,500+ database records
Our Platforms

Three platforms, one mission

Each platform serves a different audience — but all share the same goal: make essential information accessible to people who need it most.

Live

startnewlife.uk

Multilingual information hub for refugees and asylum seekers. Step-by-step guides on asylum, healthcare, housing, work, legal rights, and more. Searchable databases of lawyers and GP practices.

37 pages 7 languages 5,400+ lawyers 7,185 GPs 966 stories
Visit startnewlife.uk →
37 × 7
pages · languages · 24/7
Live

svoi.uk

Integration hub for Russian-speaking immigrants. Practical everyday guides: how to register with a GP, open a bank account, find housing, get a NI number, set up energy, navigate the job market, and more.

20+ guides RU · UZ
Visit svoi.uk →
svoi.uk
Integration · Everyday guides
Live

SiBot

AI assistant that answers questions about healthcare, asylum, housing, and rights in Russian and Tajik. Born from the Mayor of London’s Poverty Prevention Challenge 2023. Available as Telegram bot and web chat.

£48K GLA grant AI · RAG Telegram + Web
Learn more about SiBot →
🤖 SiBot
AI · Telegram · Multilingual
What We Cover

Information across every area of integration

Our Impact

Built voluntarily. These are real numbers.

Everything below was achieved before any formal programme funding — entirely by a small team of volunteers.

47
People supported with healthcare navigation
40
Successful GP registrations
2K+
Community members on Telegram & WhatsApp
966
Community stories collected
5,400+
Immigration lawyers in database
7,185
GP practices mapped across the UK
60+
Guide pages across all platforms
7
Languages supported
“I had been in the UK for eight months. I didn’t know I could just walk into a GP surgery and register. Nobody told me. StartNewLife called me, explained everything in Russian, and went with me the next day.”
Beneficiary, Tower Hamlets · Name changed for confidentiality
“I was scared to go to the doctor because I thought they would ask about my visa. StartNewLife explained that this is not how it works in the UK. They came with me and I finally got the care I needed.”
Asylum seeker, East London · Name changed for confidentiality
Recognition

Backed by leading institutions

🏆

Mayor of London

£48,000

Poverty Prevention Challenge Winner 2023. Challenge LDN, Greater London Authority.

🚀

Innovate UK

£46,550

Smart Grant recipient via Mendee Digital Ltd — proven public funding track record.

Our Journey

From a Telegram chat to a digital ecosystem

A refugee-founded company. A war. A GLA award. Four eye surgeries. And a community that never stopped growing.

Read our full story →
2022
War & founding
2023
GLA Award
2024
Innovate UK
2026
Scale
About Us

Built by immigrants,
for immigrants

StartNewLife is a programme of Mendee CIC — a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales (No. 15445605). Our team has lived migration experience and understands first-hand what it means to navigate unfamiliar systems in a foreign language.

We have been supporting migrants through our community networks since December 2022 — entirely on a voluntary basis. Our community of over 2,000 people is built on trust and personal recommendation.

  • Mendee CIC — Co. No. 15445605 Registered Community Interest Company, Companies House
  • 🔒
    ICO Registered · DBS Checked · Professionally Insured DBS Ref: E1097998117 · PII Ref: B52696433

Our Team

A
Alex Choysen Director, Mendee CIC
RU
S
Suhayl Odiljonzoda Assistant Director
TJ
+
Volunteer Network Community volunteers & interpreters
RU·TJ

Partners

TERN Mendee Digital Ltd
FAQ

Common questions

What is StartNewLife?
StartNewLife is a programme of Mendee CIC that builds multilingual digital platforms and provides community support to help immigrants with limited English access essential information and integrate into life in the UK. Our platforms cover healthcare, asylum, legal support, housing, work, education, and everyday integration.
Who can use the platforms?
Anyone. Our platforms are free, require no login, and are available 24/7. They are designed primarily for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants with limited English — but the information is useful for anyone navigating UK systems. Professionals, case workers, and volunteer organisations also use our resources.
What languages are supported?
startnewlife.uk is available in 7 languages: Russian, English, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Ukrainian, and Uzbek. svoi.uk is in Russian and Uzbek. SiBot currently responds in Russian and Tajik.
How is StartNewLife funded?
To date, the programme has been run entirely on a voluntary basis. Our technology was partly funded through the Mayor of London’s Poverty Prevention Challenge (£48K) and an Innovate UK Smart Grant (£46,550 via Mendee Digital Ltd). We are actively seeking grant funding to scale our healthcare navigation programme. Learn more about our funding plans →
How can I partner with StartNewLife?
We welcome partnerships with grantmakers, local authorities, NHS trusts, charities, and organisations working in migration, health equity, and social inclusion. Get in touch at hello@snluk.org.
Get in Touch

Let’s discuss how we can work together

We welcome enquiries from grantmakers, local authorities, NHS trusts, and partner organisations working in migration and social inclusion.

↗ startnewlife.uk ↗ svoi.uk
Email
hello@snluk.org
Office
Workspace Lock Studios, 7 Corsican Square, London E3 3YD