Today we will introduce you to the short stories of Sarah and Mohammed from Yemen, people with refugee backgrounds who found asylum and more importantly a home, on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. Due to the war in their homeland, they decided to leave their homes and managed to start their lives here again. Now they share their stories, how they got here, what they are doing, and the difficulties they have gone through, to show a good example to people in a similar situation and looking for peace and a normal life in Bulgaria.
1. Tell us about yourself, where you are from, how you came to Bulgaria, and how you decided that this would be your new home.
Sara: I’m Sara, from Yemen. I came to Bulgaria in 2015 at the beginning of the war in Yemen, we came on a tourist visa because we had no plans, we were only thinking about survival. After staying here for a few years, we started a new life and I can say that I feel stable and safe here.
Mohammed: My name is Mohammed and I am from Yemen. I came to Bulgaria on an invitation visa and I chose Bulgaria because my father graduated here and still speaks the language. We think this is the best option and we can easily integrate into the Bulgarian community.
2. Tell us about your job – what do you do, was it difficult to find, how do you feel among your new colleagues?
Sarah: I work as a customer service agent. Finding this job was not difficult and it is very interesting to work in a company with colleagues from different countries and nationalities.
Mohamed: I am a digital community relations officer in Arabic. I spent a few months looking for something suitable until I found my current job. I feel welcomed and supported by my colleagues.
3. What, in your opinion, are the biggest difficulties refugees face in the process of their integration in Sofia?
Sarah: For me, language is the biggest obstacle. Also, cultural differences and sometimes discrimination and stereotypes in everyday life can have a big impact on the integration process.
Mohamed: I don’t think there are very many free Bulgarian language courses available, and if there are, they are mostly fixed time (not different time slots), which is not suitable for most working people, as for refugees work and money come first.
4. What do you like most in Sofia and in the country?
Sarah: I love historic buildings and the little details in them. I’m fascinated by the skyline and the view of the buildings against the mountain landscape.
Mohamed: What I like the most in Sofia is the Vitosha Mountain, and what I like the most in Bulgaria is peace.
5. What recommendations would you give to the institutions working with refugees to improve their activities?
Sarah: Accessing adequate information, investing more resources in address registration and council housing, finding appropriate employment and skills, and vocational training. I would also recommend that the local community gets involved in integration initiatives and in cooperation with municipalities.
Mohamed: I don’t think there are very many free Bulgarian language courses available, and if there are, they are mostly fixed time (not different time slots), which is not suitable for most working people, as for refugees work and money come first.
In several consecutive articles, we present the initiative “Socially Responsible for Integration”, which is implemented by the Sofia Development Association (SDA) within the project “Support for the Development of Policies and Services for Refugee Integration in Sofia”. We will present to you the employers’ opinions, their experiences, best practices, and difficulties they face in carrying out this noble but difficult task. We hope their example will encourage other companies and businesses to give a helping hand to people who are forced to leave their homes and have to start their lives again in a foreign country. You can read more about SDA and the project at www.sofia-da.eu. The project is funded by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.