Personal stories

Video: An Afghan girl in Greece, unable to walk, has big dreams for her future

Neda is 11 years old and suffers from a physical condition: she cannot walk properly anymore because she cannot control her legs. She lives with her parents in a small room at the Eleonas migrant camp in Athens, and she told us about her dreams for the future.

Stéphane, sports educator in Paris: 'A fake football agent abandoned me in Turkey'

Abandoned in Istanbul by a man who claimed to be a certified FIFA agent, Stèphane, an Ivorian footballer, arrived in France, where he became a sports educator in the Paris region. Undocumented for a decade but with a permanent work contract, Stéphane now wants to regularize his status. But he can’t get an appointment at the police prefecture office that handles immigration appointments. This is his story:

'He slipped away ... under the waves, screaming, until he disappeared': Kandia's Mediterranean crossing

Kandia, a Guinean who arrived in France a month ago, narrowly escaped death in the Mediterranean Sea. In July, he boarded an inflatable boat with 84 other migrants, convinced, as the smugglers had promised, that they would be rescued after a few hours. Their ordeal lasted five days in the end.

Afghan minor in Lesbos: 'When I received proof of my underage status, it was already too late'

Shamsullah Ajad is a 16-year-old migrant from Kunduz in northern Afghanistan. InfoMigrants met him as he was collecting his belongings from a tent in the former Moria camp, where most structures have been destroyed by fire.

Nigerian refugee hosted by Italian couple

Kikeme Blessing arrived in Italy in 2017 and is now living with an Italian couple in the southern town of Restinco thanks to Refugees Welcome Italia, an organization that finds private accommodation for refugees.

The journey of Abdulfatah Hamdallah, a Sudanese man found dead on a French beach

Abdulfatah Hamdallah was found dead on a beach in northern France on August 19. The 28-year-old Sudanese migrant had tried to cross the Channel to the UK after his asylum application in France was rejected, according to media reports.

Refugees in Germany: From the boat to the Bundeskunsthalle

When hundreds of thousands of refugees crossed Germany’s borders in 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised: "We can do it!" This is the story of how Iraqi refugee Raisan Hameed became a successful photography student.

Khalil Khalil: We did it!

Khalil Khalil came to Germany five years ago as a refugee, but he doesn't see himself as one now. He speaks German, has an apartment and holds a trainee position. This was only possible with collective action, he writes.

Refugees in Germany: Lama Suleiman feels more German than Syrian

When in 2015 ever more refugees came to Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised them "We can do this!" Eight-year-old Lama Suleiman was among them and has made the country a home from home.

Refugees in Germany: Samer Serawan and the taste of integration

Five years ago, Samer Serawan spent many long, cold nights in a muddy courtyard in Berlin, one of many Syrians who queued up to live in Germany. Now he has a successful restaurant that promotes integration.

Navigating worlds: Isabel Schayani's journey in diversity

From Teheran to Cologne to New York and back: Isabel Schayani's career inspires many young journalists in Germany. Many consider her a role model --especially those who also have a diverse background.

Amadou's story: Realizing his dreams

Four years ago, Amadou Diallo arrived in Greece as a 16-year-old unaccompanied child from Guinea. Since arriving he has fought hard for his education and the right to asylum. Finally, at the end of July, after several failed attempts he was granted not only the right to asylum in Greece but with it, the path to take up a university scholarship in Paris.