Story of Marwa

Marwa is a 30-year-old Syrian woman showed us all that despite the immense suffering and violence at the Polish-Belarusian border, a long journey can have a positive outcome. Marwa is the first person who was allowed to enter Germany upon reception of a humanitarian visa which she applied for in Poland. This process is also known as the Dublin Regulation, an EU law that determines which EU Member State will be responsible for handling an application for international protection submitted by asylum seekers under the Geneva Convention.

The Syrian War has caused Marwa’s family to flee to Germany a few years earlier. The woman’s applications to reunite with her family got rejected every time, so she decided to take the matter into her own hands and embark on the dangerous journey into Europe through Belarus. Her courage and determination helped her survive the threats and issues she encountered on her way, including harsh treatment by border guards and her worsening health condition.

Marwa was found by activists in the Polish woods nearby the Belarusian border in October ‘21. She was in a near-death state. What was first thought to be an epileptic seizure, turned out to be a symptom of deep hypothermia. Thanks to the volunteers’ intervention, she was transported to a hospital in Hajnówka, where she spent 2 months fighting for her life.

The goal was to not get Marwa transferred back to Belarus and to enable her entry into Germany. The law allowing for family reunification could not be applied to Marwa’s case, because she is an adult. However, thanks to the support of lawyers and volunteers, her application got accepted based on the fact that her health condition requires her to receive help from her relatives. While Marwa is finally with her family again, we want to celebrate this success together with them! Remember, all people affected by the border crisis have their stories to tell, only by sharing them will it be possible to raise awareness about how individuals’ lives are impacted by this situation every day.