These are clouds that cover the Greek land and water. Maybe there is the home for the souls of people whose bodies were crying for help in the ocean, on their way to Europe – a trip that finished before the destination was reached.
Greece is the country with most arriving refugees to Europe. The Greek sky sees a massive number of deaths, 2015 being the deadliest with 3,771 reported deaths.
Looking at the clouds through the airplane window, I was wondering how many dreams those souls had, how many plans and wishes for the future.
My plane arrived in Helsinki Airport on the 25th of January 2016. Later in the Red Cross reception centre in Rauma, I photographed other refugees, survivors representing many ages and countries of origin, and asked them a simple question: What’s your dream?
Burhan, Somalia.
”I dream about becoming a millionaire in order to help my people. See, there are no millionaires in Somalia. If there were, there wouldn’t be poverty. You cannot help others if you are in need of help, so it is best to start from yourself.’’
Rita, Syria. Residence permit in Finland.
”I rehearse guitar playing a lot and I dream about mastering that instrument.”
Hussein, Afganistan. After getting two refusals from the state of Finland, he ran away and is currently in Central Europe.
”I dream about living in a safe and secure life in a country with a beautiful nature.”
Aral, Kurdistan (of Iraq) and Shevin, Kurdistan (of Syria). Residence permits in Finland.
”When the war broke out in Syria, I needed to stop studying Social Work and flee with my family to a refugee camp in Kurdistan of Iraq. There I met Aral, we got married but then after one year we needed to leave the country. Now I'm in Finland with my husband, a country safer for our baby than Kurdistan, and my dream is to continue my studies still one day.” Shevin
”I'm a journalist, and I faced dangers to my life in my country because of my work, so I fled with my wife whom I met while I was making a reportage for a TV channel in the refugee camp. I dream about becoming a film-maker.”
Aral
Toni, Syria. Residence permit in Finland.
”I wish to dedicate myself to spreading love and peace in the world in order to make it a beautiful place to live in.”
Karrar, Iraq. Residence permit denied, waits for a second chance.
”I left Baghdad tired of mentally dying every day of fear and panic in the country terrorized by ISIS. I have always dreamt of being a professional football player and trainer and making a Bachelor’s Degree in football.”
Shamsullah, Afganistan. residence permit denied; waits for a second chance with his family.
”I would like to be a doctor to remove pain from patients' bodies.”
Mohamed, Kurdistan (of Iran). Still waiting for the decision in the refugee centre.
”I came here in search of my dream, to live in a country that respects Human Rights and offers its citizens basic freedoms. I also dream about being a good goal keeper in football.”
Sharon, Eritrea. Residence permit in Finland.
”I would like to become a social worker in the future and work with refugee children: to make them happy so that they are not going to feel like I felt, and teach them essential things for life.”
Rewan, Kurdistan (of Iraq). Residence permit in Finland.
”After making some commentary photography that the authorities didn’t like and subsequently being threatened by them, I left Kurdistan in December 2015 and came to Finland to rescue my life and save my dream for future – to one day build a company that would support young, talented photographers and film-makers.
I am the photographer behind these pictures. When I was given a chance to stay in Finland, I felt it my responsibility as a refugee and a photographer to show faces and dreams of real refugees to people in this country, when compared to people only hearing about them, the faceless, in the news. In the reception centre in Rauma I was given a room in the basement and a basic light and a camera to take the photos. My own photo I took in the bus from Raisio police station to Rauma on the 16th of June 2016, just after getting a residence permit. Before that, I had celebrated my 21st birthday in Finland in April, for the first time in my life away from my country and family, very far away from everything that had formed my life, but very close to myself. These photos were taken a year ago, but I hope that their message still reaches you.’’
