My name is Habtom and I am 30 years old. I am from Eritrea, but I left my home country with my wife and children in 2014. For eight years I had been working as a laboratory technician in one of the referral hospitals; during this time I was also doing national service for my country, but in 2014 a new government policy came along that meant I would have to carry a gun. I could not take it any more, so I decided to leave my home country.
I hope to continue my studies, because I have a BSc in clinical laboratory science.
I travelled through Ethiopia and Sudan, where my family still are. I had to leave my beloved father, mother, brother and sister behind, and that was very hard for me. The worst thing is that my mother died when I was in Sudan.
My journey was very hard, but most people were kind. Now I am living in Holland – I’m still in a camp and I am not allowed to work until I have learned to speak Dutch. Comparing my life now with my life in my country, I thank God for keeping me alive. I hope to continue my studies, because I have a BSc in clinical laboratory science.
Story told to Hannah Summers
