Real life stories

The journey from Kenya to Europe was full of trials and tribulations. The only thing that kept me going was the dream of a better future, and the aspiration that I would get to live my life in full freedom.

I remember me and the other immigrants sitting in a circle in the Sahara under the stars, and talking about where we wanted to end up. On my journey, I had a pink piece of cloth that was another symbol of hope, because pink was my favourite colour.

One of the hard things about travelling across the Sahara was being packed in a small car like sardines. I remember always gasping for air, and trying to negotiate for a little bit of space.

Once I arrived in Tripoli, Libya, I came face to face with my fate when I saw the vast Mediterranean. I would either die in the water or make it to the other side.

I finally made it to Europe, Malta, on a tiny dinghy, in November of 2012. One of the hardest chapters of my life was finally behind me. I now had the opportunity to build a bright new future.

Some of the things I managed to work on include my education, writing a book about my journey and story, travelling around the world advocating for equality, and finally starting my transition in order to embrace my true identity.

I still talk to my dear mother almost every other day. She is one of the few members of my family I am in touch with. The rest don't talk to me because I am transgender.

I moved to Berlin, Germany, in December 2016. I still live here today. One of the best cities I have ever lived in or experienced. I have created a home for myself here. I have also created a community of friends around me that are slowly starting to feel like family.

My goals and aspirations for the future are to be happy, healthy, working in my dream job, completing my transition and education, and just living a beautiful life.

Farah wrote about her journey and experiences as a young asylum seeker in her book “Never Arrive”, published in 2016 in Malta.

Farah, 25, from Kenya/Somalia