NIDAL & ZAINAB

From Syria, married

Living in Denmark for 8 years (Nidal) and 1 year (Zainab)

Attending Danish language school and working

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Nidal and Zainab’s story of finding refuge in Denmark is one of love, courage, perseverance and hope.  They are both Kurdish from Syria and have been granted asylum in Denmark.

“I see our future being very good in Denmark. I hope to have a nice life and good work.  Maybe I will be a doctor, or maybe a politician, I don’t know (he laughs with a twinkle in his eye). Or maybe I wish to open a restaurant. I would say something good. I’m sure I will do something positive.” - Nidal
“I wish for a safe life, and maybe to have children. I want to finish my Danish language education. Maybe I will sell flowers because I like design a lot. And I hope to someday have a car.” - Zainab

Nidal’s Journey

When Nidal came to Denmark in 2010, he was escaping a very dangerous situation in a war torn country. Being Kurdish, which is a persecuted minority, and also not religious, Nidal had no real place of belonging in Syria among the major religious and political groups fighting for power. This made it treacherous for him in his region near Aleppo. As the fighting intensified, Nidal had no safe community in which to find refuge, and he feared for his life. He took a huge risk and paid smugglers to bring him to safety somewhere in Europe, and thankfully they brought him to Denmark. After Denmark granted him asylum, Nidal worked very hard appealing to the government to let his wife, Zainab, join him here. In the meantime, he attended language school and started working through a job center doing temporary jobs while also going to ‘praktik’ to learn different trades. In Syria, Nidal was a skilled tailor, but it has been hard to find a job in that industry in Denmark because most of the clothes are bought rather than made, so the demand for tailors is not as high. Nidal still has family living in Syria, including his mother, brother and sister, and he is very worried about their safety and well-being. His family’s region of Syria is very corrupt and hazardous right now; his brother was kidnapped at gunpoint and forced to pay everything he owned in order to not be killed.  His brother was ultimately released, but now he has no money and lives in fear.

 

Zainab’s Journey

One year and two months ago, Zainab was also able to find safety in Denmark on a family reunification pass because she is married to Nidal. Zainab, a Muslim Kurd, knows that her family’s home in Syria was destroyed by the fighting, and everything the family owned has been stolen. She still has family living in Syria as well, and they are trying to rebuild their lives from scratch. Her family, like most other Kurds in the area, is extremely poor now; her sister’s husband had to stop going to work to avoid being forced to join the military, and now they have no income and live in impoverished conditions. Growing up in Syria before the war, Zainab attended school and is well educated (her family felt education was important, also for girls), and in Syria she was a teacher for primary schoolchildren. Zainab is currently working diligently to learn Danish and is attending the level three program.

 

Their Love Story

The love story between Nidal and Zainab is heart-warming. It took Nidal three years and much petitioning to have the paperwork go through for Zainab to join him in Denmark. In the meantime, both Nidal and Zainab would travel to Turkey to visit each other. This was a very dangerous and expensive journey for Zainab, as she had to pay smugglers to travel through the fighting and instability in Syria. Their commitment to having a life together was powerful enough to find a way through all the adversity and into a safe country that will allow them to pursue their dreams of a nice life.

 

Gratitude for Denmark

Living in Denmark brings feelings of gratitude and hope for the couple, even while they still worry about their families who remain inSyria. Nidal and Zainab are thankful to have made some kind friends here in Denmark. Their commune has helped them get settled, and they asked Zainab if she wanted to be partnered with a Danish ‘friend’. Zainab was happy to accept this offer and has met several times with her Danish friend, Sheda. The couple has also met friends at language school, and appreciates the warm encouragement from the Danish language teachers. In addition, the Friendly Neighbors Organization (Venligboerne) has been very helpful and supportive, providing kind volunteers to answer questions, give advice about local resources, and just talk. As Nidal says, “Sometimes it’s the simple things that make a big difference.”  

 

Hope for the Future

Nidal is hopeful about their life here, “I see our future being very good in Denmark. I hope to have a nice life and good work. I’m sure I will do something positive.”  Zainab adds, “I wish for a safe life, and maybe children.”  Of course, the couple still have some fears that the Danish government will not renew their asylum Visas, and they will be sent back to a country that they know is not safe. However, they stay positive and focus on building a decent life as a family. As they have proven in the past, Nidal and Zainab remain dedicated to working for their dreams to come true in Denmark.

  

*Nidal and Zainab still live with many fears and requested their photo not be taken for this story.

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