Young people with a refugee background face many challenges, However, they also bring with them a wealth of potential and strengths. With With the "MePower" project, terre des hommes schweiz is responding to the lack of Offer of psychosocial support for young refugees in the Switzerland. A visit to the summer camp on the theme of "Home".
It's a cool August morning. Gray clouds hang low over Basel, heavy rain is on the way. It's 9.00 a.m. on the dot. A group of young people are standing in a circle at the station entrance. They are not talking to each other, they seem to be strangers. I notice two athletically dressed young men in hiking boots. With a friendly smile, they shake hands with all the participants and scrutinize them with a curious and open gaze. The mood in the group, which had been reserved a moment ago, lightens somewhat. Together we make our way to the summer camp of the "MePower" project in Langenbruck (Basel-Landschaft). The aim of this project for young refugees is for the participants to learn about their strengths and what they can do so that they can turn their lives around on their own. As a communications officer, I am also there to talk to the young people about their experiences and personal stories.
A difficult start
Having just arrived at the warehouse, a young man rushes towards me. He is one of the young men I had already noticed at the train station in Basel. We get talking and he tells me about his early days in Switzerland. His name is Mohammad Reza Shafai, he is 19 years old, comes from Afghanistan and has been living here for almost three years. "It was very difficult for me. I didn't know any people. I couldn't speak German. And the most important thing for me is that people understand me," he says. He speaks very little about his journey to Switzerland. "It was a long, difficult journey," he explains and quickly changes the subject. He prefers to think about the happy moments in his home country. "I remember sitting at the table with my family and friends, chatting and eating together," he says and laughs, a hint of nostalgia shimmering in his eyes.
A new opportunity
Mohammad explains that it is not easy to make friends and establish new contacts in Switzerland: "Everything takes time. Learning the language, getting to know the culture." Nevertheless, it is important to him to integrate. "I go to school, attend German courses and make contacts with people from different countries," he says. His greatest wish is to feel at home in Switzerland and to understand the culture better. Mohammad attaches particular importance to treating each other with respect. As he still has difficulties with the German language, he really appreciates it when people take time for him, for example by speaking more slowly. The summer camp is a good opportunity for him to talk a lot and exchange ideas with other young people. As he talks about "MePower", his words resonate with enthusiasm: "It's particularly important for me to meet new people and have fun. I also find it exciting to discover other cultures."
When asked about his wishes for the future, Mohammad says resolutely: "I want to find an apprenticeship and a job - preferably as a truck driver." His determination shows that he is daring to make a new start in Switzerland.
