Personal stories

The story of Ibrahima: From migrant to delegate in transit center

Malian migrant Ibrahima has been chosen as a delegate of his country in a transit center managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Agadez, a city of Niger in the heart of the Sahara desert.

Fawwaz' story: The tragedy of a Syrian killed by those who should have protected him

The tragic story of Fawwaz as told by his relatives to ANSA bears many similarities to that of many Syrians, betrayed and cheated by human smugglers and soldiers when crossing borders.

Richie Nath: Painting against the Burmese military dictatorship

Richie Nath is 27-year-old painter who fled Myanmar after the 2021 military coup. He is now a refugee in Paris where he continues to paint artworks criticizing the Burmese military junta's brutal repression of dissent. Rights groups and investigative media have documented Myanmar's systematic killing, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and other sexual violence against protesters since the coup and the country's continued ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas since 2012.

Leprince: 'Sometimes it's harder here in Cyprus than in Cameroon'

Leprince* fled Cameroon for Cyprus, where he landed by plane in 2019. Since then, he has started a family but the living conditions of asylum seekers on the island make their daily life very difficult. The young Cameroonian admits to sometimes "being on the verge of suicide".

The Escape Diaries: Ghanaian student closes chapter on Ukraine

As the rhetoric heats up, Russian missiles keep falling on Ukrainian cities, making it harder for life to return to normal. For Dorcas, who studied in the Eastern city of Sumy, it is time to move on.

Chazel’s tale: 'I was forced to sign a voluntary return agreement'

Chazel has been in Cyprus for three months. The 24-year-old Congolese asylum seeker is waiting with anguish to be deported. Authorities accuse him of taking part in a riot that broke out in the Pournara camp in October. This is his story.

The Escape Diaries: 'There's light at the end of the tunnel'

When Nigerian student Collins Okoro arrived in Germany from Ukraine, he was faced with so many bureaucratic difficulties as well as finding a place to live. Here he recounts the highs and lows of his first few months:

'I saw my children die': Shipwreck survivor tells his story

He lost his entire family in a shipwreck when they tried to cross to Europe from Lebanon via the Mediterranean Sea. 37-year old Wissam Tellawi told us his story.

Maïmouna's tale: 'Returning home from Libya, I was so scared of my family's judgment'

Maïmouna, a 33-year-old Ivorian, always dreamed of starting her own business in the Ivory Coast. Lacking funds, she decided to migrate to Europe to work. She hoped the money she'd earn could enable her to return home to realize her dream and help her family. But the journey through Libya, marred by kidnapping and imprisonment, killed all her hopes.

South Sudan: Displaced woman sets up small coffee stall with IOM assistance

Over two million people have fled South Sudan due to fighting and extreme weather events; well over one million South Sudanese nationals have been internally displaced. One of them is Alok, whose story was recently recounted by IOM (UN Migration Agency).

Samia, an Algerian in northern Serbia: 'The next step is Hungary but the children are tired'

Samia first left Algeria with her two small children to join her husband in Turkey. Together, they then took the Balkan route with the goal of reaching France, where Samia's sister lives. The family is now stuck in northern Serbia, where they are waiting to cross the Hungarian border.

Mazen, the ordeal of an abducted refugee teen in Libya

A 14-year-old Sudanese refugee boy, Mazen, was abducted in August near his house in Warshafana, Libya. He was first held in a militia prison and he is currently detained in a juvenile prison in the Tajoura area, east of Tripoli. His father told ANSA that he still doesn't know why his son is being held and that the boy is in poor health.