“Not all people have the chance to start over with their lives”, says Aaqel, a young boy from Afghanistan, few hours before flying from Greece to Portugal, under EU Relocation

“I believe in changes and I believe in my powers,” says Aaqel*, a young unaccompanied child from Afghanistan, a few hours before he was to leave Greece for Portugal through the EU Relocation project. “I have been waiting this for a long time and I really feel grateful because I have an opportunity which should not be taken for granted. Not all people have the chance to start over with their lives,” he said.

Aaqel came alone to Greece in 2019. He reached the island of Chios and was then transferred to a special IOM facility close to Athens, where he stayed in the period before departing to Portugal. There, IOM provided him with psychological support and legal assistance. IOM medical staff, with the support of the National authorities, conducted the necessary pre-migration health activities, including COVID-19 testing, that would allow Aaqel to travel safely. Due to COVID-19 precautions, the interview with Aaqel was conducted through Skype with the support of an interpreter and a social worker, who work in IOM’s pre-departure facility.

Aaqel told IOM that his main goal was to invest in his education. “Finishing school in Portugal and going to a university are priorities for me right now. I want to become an engineer and I also like business management,” he explained.  

“In parallel, I want to continue English language courses and learn also Portuguese. When you are welcomed in a country to build your life, you should learn the language,” he said with confidence. While he was on Chios, Aaqel could always be found practicing his favorite sport, football.

“I was playing with the local team, as a defender. For most boys in my age, this is the least popular position; everyone wants to score and support the team’s offence, but defense remains a crucial line for all teams. Everything starts from the backline. In my country, I used to play as an offensive player for two years. My coach though in Greece, saw my defensive skills and encouraged me to change positions,” he recalls.

Naturally, we asked him about Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He is a very talented player and I believe that I could be like him some day, in the sense that he has been working really hard all these years,” he said. “For me everything is possible, as long as we make good use of our skills and seize the opportunities presented to us.”

“I know that other children or adults are going to other countries like Germany, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. For me it is not a matter of country. It is a matter of hard work; I am really focusing on the first step! Opportunities are everywhere,” he continued.

To date, 586 unaccompanied children have travelled under the EU Relocation Scheme from Greece to other European countries. A vital component of the EU relocation project is the individual Best Interest Assessment, which is conducted for every child. The assessments – which seek to confirm that relocation is indeed the best option for all unaccompanied children who participate in the project – are carried out by EASO, UNHCR and its partners during the pre-departure phase.

Prior to relocation, IOM performs pre-migration health activities, including COVID-19 testing, to address public health safety and the well-being of every individual. All airport and travel arrangements are ensured, while practical information about the relocation member state is shared with beneficiaries in pre-departure orientation sessions to help prepare the children.

Aaqel told us that he felt ready to move forward and take the next step.

“I must admit that I experienced stress in Greece, but also I had the opportunity to meet nice people and generous professionals. My favorite Greek food is ‘pastitsio’ and I will definitely try to cook it and taste it in Portugal,” he said with beaming eyes.

Aaqel relocated safely to Portugal on 15 December 2020.

The Relocation project is led by the Government of Greece, through the Special Secretary for Unaccompanied Minors and the General Secretary of Migration Policy together with participating EU member states. It is is funded and coordinated by the European Commission (DG HOME). IOM works closely with its UN partners, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to support all aspects of the relocation process in close cooperation with the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and other partners.

For more information, please visit this page.

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child.