“I would like to work in the health sector and help people,“ says 27-year-old Nadif with a hope in his voice. He is worried that he has had to rely on the help of others until now. He had to leave his home in Somalia when he was only 10. As he admits, unlike many others, he was lucky to come to the refugee camp in Eritrea together with his entire family. The life in camp was modest and monotonous and the conditions of an Eritrean dessert made it also very harsh.

Children attended school and parents had some temporary and occasional jobs. After a long period of 17 years spent in the camp Nadif arrived to the Emergency Transit Centre (ETC) in Humenne, together with his sister and her two children. From there they will be resettled to the USA where they will find a new, finally stable home.

The photo is for illustrative purposes only, IOM Slovakia

The Slovak Republic provided Nadif, and many other refugees included in the resettlement programme, a temporary shelter for a period of 6 months. During their stay in the Centre in Humenne the refugees complete the preparations needed before their final resettlement. International Organization for Migration (IOM), in cooperation with its partners, arranges their transportation, security interviews, medical examinations and cultural orientation courses which should prepare the refugees for life in a new country.

Nadif can see many differences between Africa and Europe. “The biggest difference between the huge refugee camp in Eritrea and the Centre is Humenne is being able to have my own room. In Eritrea large families lived in one place in makeshift shelters“, remarks Nadif and adds that he is excited about his life in the USA and feels ready for the new beginning.

(Names were changed for protection reasons.)

The activities of IOM in this project are financed by the US Government through its USRAP Program – United States Refugee Admissions Program or by similar programs of other resettlement countries.