Mohammad

“My name is Mohammad, I’m 17 years old and from Aleppo in Syria. My family is still there, my mother, sister and my little brother. I had to leave Syria, because they wanted me to fight in the army. First I went to Turkey for work, to afford the journey to Germany. After three months of work, they said I have to go and they only paid me for two months. As an illegal worker in Turkey, I had no rights and I had to accept it.

Along with two relatives, I took a small boat to the island of Kos in Greece. It cost 1000$ per person. On the way the engine broke down, and we were lost at sea with waves hitting us. We were scared for our lives, really scared. The Greek coast guards saved us and took us to Kos. There we had to stay outside with no food or water and the police was scaring us. At night and with valid papers for one day, we left and took another boat to Athens. From there it was a long journey by bus and by foot: First to Macedonia, then Serbia, Hungary, Austria and finally Germany.

Now, I have been waiting here at LaGeSo in Berlin for 3 days. My dream is to bring my family here as well and that we can live in peace. Sometimes I am wondering – why is nobody helping the people in Syria?”