Jihan's Story – A Syrian in Greece (heartwrenching video)

Just another immigrant’s gutwrenching tale…

34-year-old Jihan and her husband, Ashraf – both blind – fled Damascus, Syria, with their two young boys. They risked their lives on a perilous boat ride to Greece. Jihan’s husband continued to Denmark where he was granted asylum but Jihan and the children have been waiting for nine months to join him.

Blind, stranded and vulnerable, Jihan needs a cornea transplant and is weary. She has just escaped a brutal war but is unwelcome in Europe. They arrived at the isle of Milos, mile off course after a 45-hour journey from Turkey with another 40 people. The police detained them for four days and they arrived in Athens without any support or assistance. Once again, they were detained in Athens and advised to leave.

Now, Jihan is alone with her two sons, 5-year-old Ahmed and 7-year-old Mohammad, at an informal settlement in Lavrion. She worries about her children’s education.

This video is courtesy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.