Personal stories

Mounir's story: 'I quickly saw the border is not open at all'

InfoMigrants spoke to several migrants from Northern African on the Turkish-Greek border, who converged there after Ankara announced that the borders would be open. Among them was Mounir, a 43-year-old Moroccan from Casablanca, who says he soon felt disillusioned when he saw the border remained closed.

Moussa's story: 'They stole my phone, pretending they would help me get to Greece'

At the bus station in the small village of Edirne in Turkey we met Moussa, a 28-year-old migrant from Niger. Moussa told us he was robbed by men who pretended they would help him cross the Evros river to get to Greece.

Karim's* story: 'The worst experience of my life'

Karim (name changed) is one of the thousands of migrants in Turkey who tried to reach Greece after President Erdogan announced he would no longer stop refugees and migrants headed to Europe. During Karim's journey to the border, he claims that he and his friends were scammed and threatened. Eventually, unable to cross into Greece, he decided to return to Istanbul. He shared his story with InfoMigrants.

Afghan migrants report from the Greece-Turkey border

Thousands of people are continuing to camp out along the land border between Greece and Turkey, where migrants on the Turkish side have clashed with Greek authorities as well as local residents. Some Afghan migrants have contacted InfoMigrants with accounts of their experiences. It has not been possible to verify these accounts.

Ahmad’s story: ‘I just want to educate myself’

Ahmad* is a migrant from Afghanistan. He hopes to reach Norway in order to get an education but has been repeatedly stopped at the Hungarian border. A few weeks ago he was faced with a choice, apply for asylum in Romania, or be sent back to Afghanistan. He has applied but he is adamant he doesn’t want to stay in Romania. He told his story to InfoMigrants:

Mohamed from Sudan: 'I've lived on a Tripoli landfill for years'

InfoMigrants received a testimony from a Sudanese migrant in Libya who, for years, has been living on a Tripoli landfill together with nine other migrants. He accuses the United Nations of having abandoned him and sees no future for himself.

Oumar's story: 'On my 18th birthday, everything fell apart'

Oumar arrived in France when he was 16 years old and started studying catering. But as soon as he turned 18, his apprenticeship was abruptly terminated and he was ordered to leave France. This is his story.

The dreams of Prince, an asylum seeker from Nigeria

Prince's journey from Nigeria to Germany has left him with mental health problems and little trust in the asylum system. But his passion for making a positive difference still burns. This is his story.

Happy reunion of an Afghan refugee and an Italian with a big heart

When Afghan refugee Syed first arrived in Italy, he was freezing, scared and alone. A local pizza baker offered him help -- food, clean clothes and a bed to sleep in. 13 years later, Syed was able to reunite with his good samaritan.

Selma and Mala's story: How a smuggler's dirty trick broke up a family

Selma and her husband fled Iran with their two children more than a year ago. After becoming separated at the Greek border, they finally ended up in Germany -- but in two different cities. Now they are desperate to be reunited. This is Selma's story.

Kefah's story: 'I'll oppose the regime as long as I live'

Kefah Ali Deeb had to leave Syria due to her political activities against Assad's rule. She was also imprisoned there. Now living in Germany, Kefah has started over with a new job and a motivation to help other refugees.

Amin’s story, deported from Germany: ‘I was about to marry my German partner’

After living in Germany for more than a year, Amin met a German woman and fell hopelessly in love. Two years after the beginning of their romance, Amin was deported to Algeria. Since then, they have done everything they can to be reunited. Here is Amin's story, in his own words: