Germany: Sainab's escape from Somalia
When Sainab was found, she was completely exhausted. Sunk into a swampy area on the border between Belarus and Poland, the then 16-year-old sat on a small island in the forest – soaked and injured. "I had almost given up," she recalls. Only when aid workers from Terre des Hommes partner organization Egala found Sainab in the forest did new hope arise. They provided the girl with clothing, food, medicine – and, above all, made her feel no longer alone.
Sainab was born and raised in Somalia. “But I had to leave Somalia because I wasn’t safe there: The threats of forced marriage, violence, or female genital mutilation were constant, and terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab still make life there impossible.” Her escape first took her to Russia and then to Belarus – and finally to the Polish-Belarusian border. There, a dangerous wait began: “Hidden in the forest, without food or water. Many were injured. Children, families. Every day, people were pushed back, beaten, robbed. Nobody cared whether they were children or not.”
"I would say to European politicians: Be humane! See us as human beings. There needs to be more humanity and respect for human rights, especially for children."
Sainab finally crossed the dangerous border into Poland, but was separated from the group she had been traveling with. She continued on alone: "There's only one way, and it always leads onward—you can't go back."
Today, Sainab lives in Germany. She made it. But she still often thinks about the other children who are stranded at the border—without help, without protection. "The feeling of being alone is the hardest thing, and I know that many children there feel the same way."
Her greatest wish is to see her family again. And one day, as a doctor or human rights activist, to help others herself.
How Terre des Hommes helps refugee children
Through our projects, we provide emergency aid worldwide, create safe havens, and offer education and psychosocial support to refugee children and their families. On the ground, we collaborate with local partner organizations that accompany and support children upon arrival. Together with these organizations and the young people themselves, we put pressure on policymakers to ensure that the rights and well-being of refugee children are respected. The experiences of children and young people in our projects around the world demonstrate the crucial need for safe pathways and refuge for children!
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