4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
A journey to belonging: asylum seekers reflect on 10 years in Europe
Ehab Mzeal, 41, is from Deir ez-Zor in Syria. He fled conflict in his country and migrated to Lübeck, Germany. 'My heart and soul are in Deir ez-Zor. No money, no homes or luxury in the world can compensate for what I've lost there,' he says. However, he is grateful for his life in Europe. 'I like Germany for one reason: it stood by us'
Nadia Feyzi, 32, an Afghan artist who fled conflict, arrived in Germany in 2016 with her young daughter. She first fled in 2001 after being forced into marriage at the age of 11 and giving birth at 14, later escaping to Iran and then Turkey. She now lives in Bonn
'Ten years on, because of the uncertainty and wars in my country [Gaza], I feel a responsibility to prioritise my family over personal desires,' Youssef says, sitting on a bench in Groenhove bos national forest in Torhout with his wife, Minas, as their daughter Ellia plays. Taking any job available, he eventually became a supervisor at a textile factory, and also works as a waiter on weekends and does freelance interpreting at police stations and asylum centres. He dreams of pursuing a PhD and becoming an academic, and recently ran in local elections, finishing third
Naziru Usman Abubakar, 28, from Maiduguri, fled Boko Haram violence in northern Nigeria in 2014 and arrived in Italy in 2016. Nearly 10 years on, Europe has provided, but it is not easy. Abubakar works at a migrant and asylum centre in Turin, helping others get their asylum claims processed
Nadia reads a page of the manuscript she has just finished writing. Her book is inspired by the lives of Afghan women over generations. 'I want to do something big here,' she says. 'This book will say it all'
Ehab has never escaped the pull of home, but he cannot return, even though Syria's former president, Bashar al-Assad, was overthrown last year. He still does not have German citizenship, which prevents him even from visiting Syria and he worries constantly about being deported
Ehab is joined by his daughter Yasmeen, 16, in their flat
Nadia reflects on her journey to Europe and the hardship she has faced
Naziru chats with his friend Usman Hamisu, 39, who brought him food from Nigeria, at a student residence in Turin
'Gaza, for me, is the homeland I don't wish for, but it is still my homeland,' Youssef says. 'I don't wish for it because of the miseries, not because I don't love my country. Seventy per cent of my thoughts and life are about Gaza, while 30% is about facing the realities of life here'
Naziru adjusts his traditional headdress at his room in the University of Turin's Olimpia residence
A bouquet of flowers from Nadia's boyfriend in front of the window in Bonn
Youssef and Ellia walk through the Groenhove bos in Torhout
Two men stand at the crossroads in downtown Bonn
Naziru hopes to apply for Italian citizenship in 2026
Ehab now also has a two-year-old son, Yussef
Family photos and souvenirs from Gaza are displayed prominently in Youssef and Minas's Belgian home
