"My name is Benazir and I am from Afghanistan. This is my brother, Shah Reza and my two daughters, Ferozan and Sosan. My family and I are very worried because we have lost my four sons as we got on the boat in Turkey. We were separated and we were told that they need to take the next boat. My sons are 15, 16, 19 and 21 years old." More info
"My name is Mumraiz and I’m from Jalalabad in Afghanistan. I wanted to go to school there and learn English. The Taliban didn’t like it and told my father that he shouldn’t allow his children go to school. But he didn’t give in. They killed him when I was 11 years old. I am the eldest son and want to provide for my family. I miss them a lot. I want to built a life and get busy again as soon as possible." More info
"I am Hanade and this is my younger sister Riham. We just arrived in Berlin today, after a hard 21-day journey from Syria. Along with me came my two sisters and my father. We are ok now, only our uncertain situation here is troubling me." More info
"We came to Berlin three months ago. Here all is fine when compared to back home in Eritrea. From age 15, most children have to join the army, even the girls. For many young people, fleeing is the only option. Our father died in 1991 fighting in Ethiopia and our mother has passed away a few years ago. Our dream is to stay in Germany and find work. We like the German people very much, they are good people!" More info
"I am Bashar and I am from Syria. I fled from the war and couldn’t live in danger anymore. I miss my home, my family, my friends who have been killed, my neighbors and every piece of my destroyed home. Like most of the people here at LAGeSo, I have been waiting for a long time without knowing how it will go from here. At first, this new situation of being in a foreign country was difficult for me. Now I’m seeing it as a challenge and want to prove that I can do it – that the Syrians can do it." More info
“My name is Ahmed, I am a conservator/stuccoer from Damascus in Syria. I am in Berlin, along with my family, waiting at LAGeSo to receive a place to stay. I have 5 daughters and one son. Originally, my parents fled from Palestine to Syria in 1948 during the Palestine War. The situation in Syria is getting worse and I wanted my family to be safe. By now, our street and home in Damascus are destroyed. First we went to Lebanon, then Morocco and then to Spain. I am very thankful that we can be in Germany.” More info
“My name is Ahmad. I came to Berlin with my wife Shokufe and our two children after first fleeing to Iran, where we faced discrimination and couldn’t work or send our children to school. Two months ago, we made the difficult journey to Germany, seeking safety. Today, at LAGeSo, we joined other Afghan families to raise our voices after hearing about possible deportations; we are very scared and feel helpless, having lost friends and family to decades of war. We have nothing to go back to in Afghanistan—only danger and unsafety.” More info
“My name is Raid and I am from Syria. I lost all my remaining belongings when I had to swim through a river in Macedonia. I’ve been waiting here at LaGeSo for almost 30 days. We are very thankful, but it’s so hard for us to understand why the registration process is taking so long. Waiting is not a bad thing, it’s the uncertainty that is depressing me. I miss my wife and daughter very much.” More info
“My name is Daruosh. We’re from Kabul in Afghanistan. I came here with my mother and two of my brothers. My father and my older brother, we had to leave behind. We had to flee after the Taliban threatened to kill us (my father was a police officer). We hope that your country will help us. I would like to go to university and one day become a lawyer. My mothers name is Rena. She is a doctor.” More info
“I am Sayed, 17 years old, and I arrived in Germany just 11 days ago after fleeing Pakistan on my own. My city near the Afghan border was marked by sectarian violence. My best friend was killed in a classroom shooting, and after my brother lost his leg to a bomb, my father told me I had to leave for safety. The journey through Kabul, Iran, Turkey, and across Europe was exhausting and dangerous. Eventually I reached Berlin. There I reunited with my uncle and could finally call my father to say I was safe. Now I wait in front of LAGeSo for my papers to be processed, hoping to continue my computer science studies, find new friends, and one day return home when it is safe again.” More info
“My name is Hala, and I am from Aleppo, Syria. When the war destroyed my home and the university where I had just begun studying, I fled to Turkey, where I met Mahmood, who had escaped from Baghdad after being threatened with death and losing everything he owned. Together we decided to continue to Germany, but the journey was dangerous. In a crowded boat the motor failed, in Macedonia we were robbed, and only with the help of kind people in Austria could we reach Berlin. A month ago, we arrived at LAGeSo and were shocked to see so many people waiting; we still spend every day there, hoping our number will be called. Our dream is to continue our studies, build a future, and one day get married here in Germany.” More info
“My name is Yousef and I am from Tehran, Iran. As a Christian, I was in constant danger there, so I left and lived in Turkey for several years. I haven’t seen my family in four years, which makes me feel depressed and restless. At LAGeSo I have been sick and sometimes it’s difficult. But I also feel good when I can help others, like translating for families. I hope to learn German, continue supporting people, and build a safe and free life here in Germany. Here, I feel a sense of security, freedom and that no one tries interfering with my daily life.” More info