Moussa: from the Central African Republic to Norway
Moussa: from the Central African Republic to Norway
UNHCR, 18 Jun 2014
URL: http://stories.unhcr.org/moussa-central-african-republic-norway-p4668.html
I came to Norway as an unaccompanied minor in 2012. The journey to Norway was long, and robbed me of my childhood. I have tried to trace my family, but they are all gone.
I have good memories from my childhood in the Central African Republic (CAR). My grandmother was a lovely woman, and she would often come over to visit me. I played football and played with my friends. CAR is hot, but also green and lush – green hills and mountains, vibrant bazaars and thousands of animals.
I was in the second grade in 2003 when François Bozizé came to power. My parents and my big brother were killed in the following violence. Since then the violence never seemed to stop.
I don’t remember much about fleeing form my home in 2003. I left CAR, and travelled through Chad and finally arrived in Tripoli in Libya. I had to work, but when I came to get my pay, the boss at the construction firm called the police. I was 12 years old when I was arrested and jailed because I did not have a visa.
I spent two years in jail. In the spring of 2011 civil war broke out in Libya, and the gates at the prison were crushed and I fled. I made it to a refugee camp in Tunisia.
I lived in a separate area in the refugee camp with other unaccompanied minors. There were over 100 children there, all of whom had fled alone. Many of the children struggled when they were being interviewed by the UN in order to receive a permit to stay in the country. A lot of us had no ID. But most of us just couldn’t talk about what had happened to us without crying. And some of us just couldn’t remember.
I suggested that we’d choose one representative from each country who could address issues in the weekly meetings with UNICEF. The UNICEF tested the idea, and for the first time in my life I received praise. Some of the other children even thanked me!
I remember some of the children thanking me for my help. It felt really good. My whole life has been very difficult, but this made me forget all the bad things that happened to me. All of a sudden I was a good person that could help others. It made me feel human.
I have good memories from my childhood in the Central African Republic (CAR). My grandmother was a lovely woman, and she would often come over to visit me. I played football and played with my friends. CAR is hot, but also green and lush – green hills and mountains, vibrant bazaars and thousands of animals.
I was in the second grade in 2003 when François Bozizé came to power. My parents and my big brother were killed in the following violence. Since then the violence never seemed to stop.
I don’t remember much about fleeing form my home in 2003. I left CAR, and travelled through Chad and finally arrived in Tripoli in Libya. I had to work, but when I came to get my pay, the boss at the construction firm called the police. I was 12 years old when I was arrested and jailed because I did not have a visa.
I spent two years in jail. In the spring of 2011 civil war broke out in Libya, and the gates at the prison were crushed and I fled. I made it to a refugee camp in Tunisia.
I lived in a separate area in the refugee camp with other unaccompanied minors. There were over 100 children there, all of whom had fled alone. Many of the children struggled when they were being interviewed by the UN in order to receive a permit to stay in the country. A lot of us had no ID. But most of us just couldn’t talk about what had happened to us without crying. And some of us just couldn’t remember.
I suggested that we’d choose one representative from each country who could address issues in the weekly meetings with UNICEF. The UNICEF tested the idea, and for the first time in my life I received praise. Some of the other children even thanked me!
I remember some of the children thanking me for my help. It felt really good. My whole life has been very difficult, but this made me forget all the bad things that happened to me. All of a sudden I was a good person that could help others. It made me feel human.