You were a TV presenter in Yemen, you had a good life, friends, an interesting job…  How is your life now that you are in Maastricht?
“The first months I was confused an unstable without a plan or a clear goal. I could only think of what was happening in my country Yemen, where I experienced painful events. I clearly remember everything and the war is still raging now. I think I have a ‘survivor guilt syndrome’: I think of all the tragedies that are still happening and I want to do something for Yemen, but that is not possible while I live in a safe place. I am trying to accept that, so recently I began to immerse myself in work, study and volunteer work. This helps me a lot in forgetting the great pain about the situation in Yemen. I want to bury sadness and frustration and replace negative energy with a positive one that makes me think about a bright future. I joined the Refugee Project Maastricht and almost daily do volunteer work. That makes my soul and brain shine again.”  

Do you miss your country and your life there?
“I miss everything, I have memories in every spot. I grew up in a remote village; for years I walked about three hours to reach school, climbing dusty mountains. I helped my father and mother on their farm, herding sheep and cows. I worked in construction and restaurants before entering university and starting my life in the paper and electronic press until I became a TV presenter in political programmes and news. I have memories everywhere and I have hundreds of close friends at home. I miss everyone, my parents, my brothers and sisters and the people of my village.”

How is the current situation in Yemen?  Is there a constant threat of danger, are there enough food and medical supplies?
“People have not been paid for four years. Because of the corruption of the previous regime, we were the poorest and least educated country in the world before the war, let alone after the war. Life in Yemen has become unbearable; everyone wants to escape the war and poverty, suicide rates have increased, killings have increased among people, and disputes have increased among families and relatives. The war is still raging between the Iranian-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government, and there is a third faction supported by the Emirates that wants the secession of southern Yemen from the north. When I think of that and I watch people here buy whatever they want and laugh in the parks, children go to school and have all the basic needs and amenities, I feel as if I came through an electronic machine from another time and from another planet. I wish prosperity to the developed countries around the world, and I hope that they intervene to save Yemen.”

You worked as a United Nations Humanitarian Affairs officer in Syria. Could the UN not keep you out of military service?
“Unfortunately, the UN can’t do anything. That is a big problem. In 1950, Syria joined the UN and one of the agreements was that UN national staff should be excluded from military service. But during the war, the Syrian regime did not follow up on this.  For 5 years already, there is an ongoing discussion at the UN in New York with the Syrian commission about this, but they are not able to reach an agreement with the Syrian government. I am definitely not the only case. Many UN staff colleagues face the same problem.”

How do you see your future?
“Here in the Netherlands, I want to complete my education path. Most universities offer education in English, so for sure I will study again. I have a master’s degree, which can be validated, but I fully understand that each country prefers their own master’s degrees on the job market. Therefore, I will try to get a master’s degree in sustainable international development from a Dutch university, which can help me continue my work as a humanitarian and development worker. As soon as I become a status holder, I can start with ‘inburgeren’.  Immediately after I arrived here, I started to learn Dutch on my own. Now I already have level A2, which ‘inburgering’ requires.”

What is your role at the Refugee Project Maastricht (RPM)?
“I got a chance to work for RPM as a volunteer and to help them build an ambassadors team to support refugees in Maastricht. I assist RPM with their planning and I help them reflect on refugees’ needs. I can build on my experience and at the same time adapt to a European style of working. RPM has broadened my horizon and allowed me to meet many different people. It has opened doors widely, also in my social life.”