Reuniting With Football In Athens

Reval, Greece

I left Aleppo in Syria because of the war when I was 12 years old with my father and brother, it was too dangerous for us. We had to leave my mother and two small sisters behind. We worked hard and after 3 years, we managed to bring them to Turkey. But the situation wasn't good for us there. This is why my father decided for our family to proceed to Europe. We arrived at the Greek island of Chios in August 2016. The situation was really bad. For 8 months we had to live in a tent. Actually, during the night, my father, my brother and I had to sleep outside on the ground for my mother and sisters to sleep inside. It was horrible. Then we got the permission to go to Athens. 

We were waiting and waiting for years, living in a container in Skaramagas refugee camp. We got rejected from the asylum service 2 times. Only a lawyer could help us avoid the government sending us back to Turkey or even Syria. The cost was 1,800 euros. Of course, we didn't have the money. My father and brother found a job, worked hard, collected the necessary money and we hired a lawyer who managed to get asylum for us. As soon as we received our Greek travel documents, my father decided that our family should travel to Holland. He travelled first and then through family reunification, we travelled too. It has been 8 months now that we are in Holland, we managed to get accepted for asylum here. 

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?

The photos were taken in Skaramagas refugee camp in Athens, Greece. They are girls participating in a football programme. These girls had suffered enough in their countries and on their way to Europe and they were still living under extremely difficult situations in a refugee camp in Greece. Many times they were facing danger during the night, many times there were a lot of fights in the camp. But despite what they had to deal with, they didn't give up on football. Everything around them was so hard but through football they were still happy.

Why is football important to you and your community? 

Football is important for me because when I play, I am able to forget everything, all the problems that I faced in the past or the ones I'm still facing. We have fun, we make friends, I smile! I didn't have free time to play football when I was in Syria. Even as a child, I had to work to support my family financially. 

What role does football play in your life at the moment?

Since the day I left Greece, I haven't played football. I miss it terribly. Football is really important for me, more than school. I understand why school is important for our lives, but football is my passion.

Did you play football with any Greek people? How did you find the Greek people?

I played football in Greece with Greek people in friendly matches that were arranged. I really enjoyed it. Opportunities to interact with the Greeks, to show them that we have skills too, to show them that we are not so different from them and that we could become friends, were really important for me. I love Greece and Greek people and I miss them a lot.

What ambitions do you have for the future?

I want to become a professional football player. I also want to travel to Greece and meet my friends again. Actually, I received my passport from the Dutch government, and I was ready to travel exactly when the COVID-19 started....one day I will!