Search Results for “Elif Yenigün” • We Refugees Archive

“The economic issues forced us to move abroad and find a job to survive. There is war in my country and war conditions forcibly moved us to elsewhere.”

Nacibullah about his reasons to leave Afghanistan and his way to Turkey

Nacibullah left Afghanistan as a 16-year-old in 2018 without his family. Two central reasons forced him to flee: existential economic hardship and the war…

“We still work after taking down the shutters of the shop. […] And I didn’t have enough time to attend language course or something.”

Nacibullah about obstacles and pathmakers in building up a new life in Istanbul

Nacibullah came to Turkey from Afghanistan as a 16-year-old in 2018 without his family and now lives and works in Turkey without papers or…

“I faced a lot of difficulties: discrimination, not being paid but I moved along and accepted it and I stayed here though.”

Nacibullah’s problems without papers and legal status in Istanbul

Nacibullah came to Turkey from Afghanistan as a 16-year-old in 2018 without his family. In this interview excerpt, he describes the problems he faces…

“I was able to work in another city but Istanbul provided me a regular income which I could share with my family. This is the reason why I see Istanbul as per my homeland.”

Nacibullah about his relationship to Istanbul

Nacibullah came to Turkey from Afghanistan as a 16-year-old in 2018 without his family. He continues to live and work in Istanbul without papers…

“Eleven people in that little place.”

Barry: Work to Survive

Barry Chukudi is from Nigeria, from Biafra. He fled to Turkey in 2013 due to the violence of the Nigerian military in the struggle…

“I wanted for my kids to study more because when they study, they can achieve more.”

Ummuahmed about her decision for Istanbul and hopes for her children’s future

Ummuahmed fled the war in Syria in 2012, together with her family. Since then, she lives in Istanbul. In this interview passage, she talks…

“No, it’s like, you wake up some day you started to go, you don’t know where you are going. You don’t know exact the way you are going. You just, go go go.”

Nadège about her flight from Cameroon and the arrival in Istanbul

Nadège is 34 and comes from Cameroon. Two years ago, she fled to Turkey because she was in danger in her home country due…

“Even if somebody violated our rights or did something wrong to us, we can not ask for our rights.”

Ummuahmed about discrimnation and precarity

Ummuahmde fled the war in Syria in 2012, together with her family. Since then they live in Istanbul and run a small shop there.…

“When you have residence permit, you feel free. You feel more secure.”

Majid about his residence status in Turkey

Majid comes from the Darfur region in Sudan and belongs to the ethnic group of the fur people. He fled to Turkey via Libya…

“I was just ignoring them.”

Majid about his experience with racism in Turkey

Majid comes from the Darfur region in Sudan and belongs to the ethnic group of the fur people. He fled to Turkey via Libya…

“On Monday morning come to Taksim, here, at the same place and I will find you work.”

Majid gets a job in Istanbul and talks about the Sudanese community

Majid comes from the Darfur region in Sudan and belongs to the ethnic group of the Fur people. He fled to Turkey via Libya…

“Nobody was renting us a house. They were saying: no house for Syrians.”

Paydar H. about his initial time in Istanbul

Paydar H. is a Kurd from Aleppo in Syria. After the bombing of the city in 2013, he fled to Turkey at the age…

“There weren’t any teaching facilities that I benefited from. I just use my own experience to learn from people that I work with them.”

Paydar: Via a job in tourism to languages and people

Paydar H. is a Kurd from Aleppo in Syria. After the bombing of the city in 2013, he fled to Turkey at the age…

“We were smuggled through the border but it wasn’t smuggled really. The border then was opened, so you can just walk out. We walked, got to the other side, we had relatives in Turkey.”

Paydar H. about his flight from Syria and the decision for Istanbul

Paydar H. is a Kurd from Aleppo in Syria. After the bombing of the city in 2013, he fled with his brother to Turkey…

“In Germany they say ‘Ausländer.’ In Turkey they say ‘Yabancı.’ So, wherever I go, I will remain Yabancı or Ausländer.”

Paydar about discrimination and how he deals with it

Paydar H. is a Kurd from Aleppo in Syria. After the bombing of the city in 2013, he fled to Istanbul via Afrin in…

“Istanbul grow on me. All my memories are from here and I cannot recall memories from Aleppo.”

How Paydar became an Istanbullu

Paydar H. is a Kurd from Aleppo in Syria. After the bombing of the city in 2013, he fled to Istanbul via Afrin in…

“I was crying over the people that left behind me, my family, I was leaving everything.”

Leaving everything behing: Ummuahmed about her flight from Syria to Turkey

Ummuahmde fled the war in Syria in 2012, together with her family. Since then they live in Istanbul and run a small shop there.…

“Today, I cannot say about Istanbul that it’s a home.”

Ummuahmed about Istanbul and her concerns for her children

Ummuahmde fled the war in Syria in 2012, together with her family. Since then they live in Istanbul and run a small shop there.…

“We couldn’t barely manage to eat and stay.”

Barriers in building a new life: Ummuahmed about her first years in Istanbul

Ummuahmde fled the war in Syria in 2012, together with her family. Since then they live in Istanbul and run a small shop there.…

“She sees me as a friend, as equal.”

Ummuahmed about support structures

Ummuahmed fled the war in Syria in 2012, together with her family. Since then they live in Istanbul and run a small shop there.…

“I didn’t take the decision like that, freely.”

Majid about his escape from war in Sudan and the hard flight to Istanbul

Majid Bolat comes from the Darfur region in Sudan and belongs to the ethnic group of the Fur people. He fled to Turkey via…

“My life that time has just started and you know, something happens and cancels everything.”

Holidays Without Return. Dina’s Path to Turkey

Dina is 27 years old and comes from Aleppo. Here she talks about her escape, her hopes and the things she had to leave…

“If I will go back, I will be also foreigner. I will be foreigner in my city.”

Dina: To Live Without a Home

Dina is 27 years old and comes from Aleppo. She lost her home because of the war and does not know if she will…

“We fought, so they did so many things to us, more than hundred people killed, because of that kind of problems, so we decided to run away.”

Barry’s Flight from the Military

Barry Chukudi is from Nigeria, from Biafra. He fled to Turkey in 2013 due to the violence of the Nigerian military in the struggle…