“You are from Morocco; you cannot go to Europe, you should stay in Greece“. This was the answer to Marzuq’s efforts to find out how he could travel and live in Europe. Marzuq is 20 years old and he is from Morocco; he arrived to Greece, in Thessaloniki, together with his mother several months ago, pursuing a better present and future. The reasons that prompted him to leave his country was the economic, political, and social unstable conditions in Morocco.
Marzuq began his journey to Europe with first stop being Turkey. Although so young, he decided to take his mother with him and not leave her alone; her mobility problems wouldn’t allow her to live alone. However, they did not want to stay in Turkey and tried in every possible way to go. Hence, they arrived to Greece, on the islands, with a boat.
Next stop, Thessaloniki. There, Marzuq, when he expressed the desire to find a way to travel to Europe was listening that as a Moroccan he cannot continue his journey; thus, he decided to come to Athens.
He didn’t know anyone. He tried to find his countrymen, when many of the refugees were staying for a while in Victoria Square in the center of Athens. His compatriots supported him initially and advised him to turn to organizations that could help him and so it happened. A few days later, he visited the organization’s Solidarity Center in Athens.
In Solidarity Center, Marzuq and his mother could be supported both medically, through the NGO Praksis as well as by the Asylum Office, housed at the Center. In parallel, he began to collect the required documents for himself and his mother that would enable them to request their stay in Greece.
Marzuq while being in Athens, has initially found a shelter in abandoned houses in the city center, then stayed in hotels, whereas now he and his mother live in a refugee camp. He still waits for his housing application approval and concurrently tries to get asylum and work permit in Greece. In his efforts to obtain a work permit, he is supported by the NGO Praksis employability program, in the Solidarity Center.
Marzuq doesn’t want to leave Greece. He doesn’t want to live in another European country. He dreams to win back his life and succeed here. He wants to succeed for him but especially for his mother, as he confesses touched.
There are many people like Marzuq. Young people, who take the responsibility of themselves and of the people they love, escaping from the difficult present, pursuing what they deserve, what every human being deserves. The right to freedom, self-determination, work, security. Marzuq is willing to try; and so, he is “doomed” to make it. His effort will be supported by us, the NGO people, but also life will treat him with respect as it does for the brave!
*The Athens Solidarity Center is accessible to all people regardless of nationality, religion, ethnic origin, or social status. The Center offers a comprehensive set of services to refugees, migrants and Greeks who are in need (legal, social, and psychological support, helpline and counseling for families, children, and adolescents (with the partnership of Together for the Children), children friendly space (through the Network for Children’s Rights), asylum office services, following an appointment by the central Asylum Service.