Give Me Hope!

Fundraising campaign by Yami Alshame

Athens, GR Personal

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raised of €1,500.00 goal goal

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Campaign Story

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At the time when I had to build my future I was forced to leave my country, Syria, because of the hunger, pain, death and loss of life that the war had brought on 3/15/2011
I lost this opportunity, which is a normal thing in a person's life, I was forced to flee and everything was left behind in search of a new hope in life,like many refugees who were displaced by the consequences of the war.
Before leaving Syria, I was subjected to several political assaults by members of the Syrian army, which is supposed to protect us and our land.
I was detained and tortured for seven months because I demanded freedom, as many Syrians did during the revolution, for freedom and a better future.
During my detention, I was subjected to all kinds of psychological and physical torture I saw death daily and lost hope that I would come out alive from that hell, These memories still haunt me and it is difficult to forget because they are still on my body Scars and wounds may heal one day, but their memory will remain firmly in me
The story goes on
I left my country and my people, whose condition I do not know anything about, and I left my friends, some of them who went forever, and some of them disappeared in the prisons of hell.
After a long hardship and a road full of fear and fatigue, I arrived in Turkey to start a new life from scratch, The start was never easy but many people helped me during my time there Lots of generous and kind-hearted people stood by my side until I started to stand again and continue my life and search for my family again after a long time had passed since their loss.
I thought everything would be fine until the day when Turkey was subjected to a military coup I felt very afraid and that I would lose all the effort that I made during my stay, and the memories and events that I experienced in Syria came back. Indeed, after a short period, a wave of racism towards refugees began in Turkey, so that we were afraid to leave our homes for fear that we would be killed or tortured by some racist people in the streets.
Also, due to the large number of refugees, signs of racism began to increase and become evident even in the media and news about demands to deport refugees to their countries even if it is not safe for their return.
After a short period during 2019, the government began a large-scale campaign to return the refugees to their countries, This is due to political differences between the parties, and no one can prevent it. Therefore, I must again leave everything I worked for and flee towards Europe as the only continent that helps war refugees and preserves their rights.
I did not need to think much and embarked on another journey in search of new hope, life and a better future
The journey was never easy As the road that I have to cross is an inevitable death to escape from, especially since news, media and internet channels are full of video clips of refugees who died at sea while crossing in inflatable boats. "death boats"
The moment I got into the 3-meter-long inflatable boat with more than 60 people on board, including children, women, families and patients, my mind stopped thinking. The scene was like a movie, darkness enveloping the sky, black clouds lit by the moonbeam, and beads of rain falling to emit that sound, which I very much felt was death.
But in reality all of this was true, especially when the waves crashed, the women cried, and the children screamed, The time until we reached safety was approximately three hours, Three hours in horror and fear Everyone is terrified Crying and screaming in the middle of the dark sea, prayers and unspeakable words moments that I have lived and seen, From the horror I was in, I could not close my eyes All I could see was the sea and the faces of the people with me in the same scene Each of them looks at each other in silence and despair.
We could not reach our destination due to an engine failure and we had to wait in the middle of the sea between the regional borders of Turkey and Greece for half an hour until the Turkish coast guard arrived and brought us back again and detained us for a week in a place similar to an animal barn where we were beaten and searched and all our property was confiscated, and all we got It was like a piece of cheese and a glass of water every day for a week.
After I got out of detention I tried again to pass the same way The second time, too, the same scene was repeated, but this time I did not feel anything As if my feelings had frozen, All I thought was that I didn't care what might happen to me I had nothing left to lose, for I was resigned to reality. This time we successfully reached one of the Greek islands Here the story goes on again What was in my imagination turned out to be fake What I saw upon my arrival to the refugee camp is another chapter of the story.
Of course, the beginning is always difficult. We were received in the refugee camp on the Greek island of Chios Our wet bags were searched, investigations began, and regular questions were made upon arrival. Our backgrounds, personal information, and our registration as refugees were verified. The camp was crowded with huge numbers of refugees from different countries After the investigation was completed, we were given small backpacks containing some food and personal detergents. Brush and toothpaste. Blanket . Some canned beans and some soap and they told us you are free now you can go and look for a place to sleep and rest until the date of your interviews comes in order to obtain the papers required to live and work legally in Greece.
Due to the enormous pressure and the large number of refugees, there was no place to stay Some people were sitting in small and medium-sized tents There was only one public bath You might feel dizzy if you got into it There was no single requirement for living Of course, the waiting period ranges from 4 to 15 months until all the legal procedures are completed, No place to sleep, no shower, and food that even animals would not eat.
I could not stay in this situation for more than 3 days I was suffering from difficulty moving due to the many injuries caused by detention in Syria and Turkey, We were not allowed to leave the camp or the island until we had taken all the necessary documents.
Because of my health condition, I decided to flee to Athens Indeed, I asked some of the people who live for me on the island to buy a ticket for me to board the ship bound for the capital, Athens, I stayed in a place called a hotel, but it is not like hotels at all, and it is very expensive, and I originally do not have little money, I took a shower, changed my clothes, cut my hair and put on some accessories to look like a regular tourist so that I would not be stopped by the security guards at the ship's gate.
The plan succeeded perfectly and I got on the ship, the trip was 10 hours I sat watching the sea and remembered what happened with me during all this time, I was rather happy as I had time to enjoy the calm waves and fresh air while drinking a cup of hot coffee.
Now I am in Athens I tried a lot to get a job, but it was useless Because I did not complete the registration process on the island I cannot return to the island A year and a half have passed, and if I return, I will be detained, and there is a great chance that I will be sent back to Turkey and thus to Syria. Sometimes people on the streets would host me in their homes for several days and give me some food and clothes But my health is still getting worse Currently, I suffer from inflammation of the sciatic nerve, in addition to excruciating pain in the lower back and left leg, which affects my movement greatly, and because we are going through a global crisis, which is Covid 19 Many non-profit organizations and governmental organizations have closed their doors. I cannot get health care and I cannot re-apply for registration as a refugee.
This is my story The reason is that I tell it to you only because I am completely hopeless All I currently own is a small tent and a semi-broken phone. I hope through these small screens to reach your hearts and get your support so that I can move forward and make a life for myself. I hope to meet my family one day. These are my words I send to you You have the freedom to choose whether to accept or reject it. This is my number on WhatsApp In case someone wants to reach me or has any way to support me +30 6907558153

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Yami Alshame
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raised of €1,500.00 goal