My story

My name is Jamal, I am 26 years old and come from a city called Sinjar, in Iraq. In summer 2014 the Islamic state occupied many cities, this was the last phase of my Abitur. The political mood was very heated, we lived right in the middle of it. Despite the situation I graduated from high school, I had to postpone one subject because the pressure was too high. The Kurdish army withdrew when ISIS moved in, they did not protect us. The families tried to defend themselves, they only managed to a certain extent, they did not have enough weapons to fight ISIS. Many people were murdered. ISIS owned the weapons of the Iraqi army, they were much stronger than the others. Continue reading “My story”

Dublin Core: Language: de Subject: refugees, asylum, germany, iraq, a million stories

The woman with two roles

My name is Faten, I come from Lebanon and I am 44 years old. Lebanon is a small country, we had many problems in Lebanon because there is too little work for the people there. I have a daughter, I’ve been divorced since she was three. My ex-husband didn’t take care of us. I had to work for the whole family. I guess that’s why he married me, so I could work. Continue reading “The woman with two roles”

Dublin Core: Language: de Subject: refugees, asylum, a million stories, germany, lebanon

Escape from civil war

My name is Dr. Massoud Khader, I come from Afghanistan, I was born in 1985. My home country is Afghanistan in Central Asia, the capital is Kabul. My country was often attacked, it would take too long to explain the situation in Afghanistan. I lived in Kabul, in the capital, a large city, there are more than 5 million people. Continue reading “Escape from civil war”

Dublin Core: Language: de Subject: refugees, asylum, a million stories, afghanistan, germany

“You can still see the marks from the rope on my arm”

My name is Mona from Baghdad and I am 27 years old. Mother to two children. I live in Malmo, recently two years ago.
I was born in Baghdad. My dad was a communist and he raised me and my 4 siblings in a different way from the tradition in Iraq. The woman has her rights and lives in her own way. I grew up with these thoughts from my dad. But when I got older, my thoughts broke with the society in Baghdad.

Continue reading ““You can still see the marks from the rope on my arm””

Dublin Core: Language: sv Subject: asylum, refugees, A Million Stories, Sweden

I want to live

My name is Khawla, I am 31 years old and come from Iraq. I am Yazidi. In Iraq very few Yezidis live, we lived in a small area, for us it was a very beautiful area. My village was Shangal, I had many friends there, people who loved me. I worked as a seamstress and had my own shop, I loved my work. My friends always came to the shop with clothes, they just wanted to talk, I sewed their things and we talked. We had the same language, the same faith. There is no place for Yezidis in Iraq, that is a big problem. Continue reading “I want to live”

Dublin Core: Language: de Subject: refugees, asylum, a million stories, iraq, germany

I’m not a refugee, I’m Marwa

My name is Marwa, I am 42 years old and come from Syria. I’ve lived in Germany for two years. My husband fled before me to Germany, I still lived in Aleppo when the war started. In Syria I managed a kindergarten, in the afternoon I taught English to adults and younger people. I studied English in my country. I never wanted to leave my homeland, we lived well in Syria, I always took care of myself.

Continue reading “I’m not a refugee, I’m Marwa”

Dublin Core: Language: Language will appear here Subject: refugees, asylum, syria, germany, a million stories

Fleeing death

My name is Ghait Al Theban, I am 23 years old and come from Syria. I was born in Damascus, everyone who has seen it once thinks it is beautiful. Damascus is a paradise for me, of course. I lived and studied there, my family and friends are there. I carry my home within me wherever I am. That I am Syrian fills me with great joy. We didn’t have much, we didn’t need that either. Money, cars, wealth, these things don’t make a home. Being at home, feeling at home, that’s home. In Germany I am a stranger, in my homeland everything was familiar to me. Living as a refugee in a foreign country or as a citizen in his country are two very different things. In my country, I know everything, every street, every place. I’m a stranger here. Syria is the most beautiful country in the world for me. Here I had to learn everything anew, it was difficult for me as a Syrian to arrive in a new culture. Continue reading “Fleeing death”

Dublin Core: Language: de Subject: refugees, asylum, syria, germany, a million stories