麻豆社

The escalation of the conflict in Ukraine has meant the destruction of life as Ukrainians know it. People have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in countries all over Europe. Many civilians have left Ukraine with no concrete plan except to find safety. In the first week alone, more than one million refugees crossed borders into neighbouring countries, with the number currently standing at 3.5 million (UN).

Abdul Monem Safwa is a Syrian refugee who moved to Europe to escape conflict in Homs, and has now found himself escaping another. Having been forced to flee Syria, Abdul travelled to Ukraine with the hopes to study at university there, and ended up establishing a business related to tourism. He is now in the UK and had to travel through Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and entered the UK through Northern Island. He is currently unsure what will happen next for him and if he will be allowed to stay in the UK. He likens his experience of the Russian attacks in Ukraine to the Syrian conflict he left in 2011.

Photo and credit: Abdul Monem Safwa