A future worth any risk
Refugee and migrant children
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Greece, 2015: Ali Abdul-Halim, 17, and his brother, Ahmad, 15, had feared that their boat would sink before it reached the island of Lesbos. The boys, who are from Lebanon, hope to reach Germany.
“It was very, very, very scary and hard, because we thought we could die at any moment, because we never knew how to swim,”
Greece, 2015: Cold, wet and in tears, Syrian refugee Sidra, 4, and her parents and siblings also came ashore in an inflatable rubber boat, near Skala Eressos Village on the Aegean island.
“I’ve seen a lot of awful things, but the worst part for my kids was the ocean. They’ve never seen anything like that before.”
Greece, 2015: Safar Sabah, and 7-year-old year Ilaf, in his charge, arrived on Lesbos by boat from Turkey, where Mr. Sabah had made a promise to Ilaf’s mother that he would look after her child. He left Iraq because there was “killing everywhere.” His ultimate aim is to reach Sweden.
“Humanity sympathizes with each other...”
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 2015: Syrians Lujayne Gorly, 10, and her family are continuing their journey on foot after travelling by train to the village of Tabanovce on the border with Serbia.
“… I hope that we make it safely to Germany and that the war would end and that we would go back to our country.”
Serbia, 2015: At a crowded transit centre, Shaimae Drazeni, 15, and her family are among up to 5,000 people passing daily through the town of Šid, on the border with Croatia.
“I am here as a Syrian refugee and [am] going to Germany to put an end to the agony and the pain. To put an end to the oppression, the humiliation in which we lived.”
Greece, 2015: Adra Al Bouaamer, 7, soaking wet, is wrapped in blankets upon arriving on Lesbos after her rough sea crossing. Her family fled Iraq by boat ride from Turkey after receiving threats from extremists.
“I was very afraid. I was scared. We felt like we were going to die. I felt safe in my dad’s arms.”
Greece, 2015: Mohammad Abdullah-Sharif and his family receiving aid from volunteers after coming ashore near Skala Eressos Village on Lesbos; and at a reception centre for refugees and migrants.
“I want to provide for my kids, and educate them. We want to go to the UK, but our finances will only take us to Germany.”
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 2015: Syrian Tarik Assil, 7, gets relief supplies after disembarking from a train in Tabanovce Village before making his way to the Serbian border. His family is headed to Germany. He found the boat ride from Turkey frightening.
“I liked Greece. …They were hugging and holding me when we landed.”
Munir Yousufi, 16, living in a park in Belgrade, learns to shave. From Afghanistan, he lost partial use of the left side of his body in a Taliban attack on his home. The money his parents collected to send him to safety ran out.
“I am relying on other Afghans to give me a little bit of money until I can get enough to get to Germany.”
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 2015: Mushawa Mosani-Akberi, 15, kisses his brother, Sajar, 1, after arriving in Tabanovce on a jam-packed train. Their parents are still in Afghanistan. In the past two weeks, Mushawa, who hopes to reach France and is now on his way to the Serbian border, has also passed through Iran, Turkey and Greece.
