Happy to be together – UNHCR Belarus

UNHCR/ Katerina Gordeeva
© Rudi and Tessi bring up their family in Belarus

Rudi spent two years travelling between Dubai, where he worked, and the Philippines, where his wife Tessie and his little daughter Aishah stayed. All they wanted was to be together.

Rudi is a member of the ethnic Kurdish minority. Born in Syria, he lived in the ancient city of Aleppo. Rudi graduated from the university with a degree in accounting, and under Syrian law immediately joined the army. During his service, he got into trouble on the border of Syria and Iraq.

Rudi spent two years in the army, 8 months of them — in detention.

The main task of the soldiers was to prevent illegal entry into Syria, including that of ethnic minorities. Soldiers were moving along the border all the time, and in that very period an illegal entry once happened.

An investigation was initiated on this case. The soldiers who were supposed to guard the territory were imprisoned, without much consideration on who was guilty and who was not. Then they were moved to Damascus for further investigation. It was demanded that they confess — Rudi recalls torture. In the end, the soldiers surrendered:

“We just wanted the violence against us to stop”.

Confession made it possible for the military to submit the case to the court. There the case was closed, though the final decision was never made. The soldiers were told that they were free. But Rudi had no idea how much trouble this incident would bring into his future.

After what happened in the army, he couldn’t work in the civil service, so he got a job as an auditor in a private hotel. Then he went to work in Dubai to make for a living. There he met the love of his life — his future wife worked in the same company.

Tessie got pregnant before they had time to register their marriage, and in the UAE extramarital relations are forbidden and considered a crime under the threat of imprisonment. The couple agreed that Tessie will return home to Cagayan, a province of the Philippines, while Rudi will support her financially and seek opportunities for them to be together.

Tessie and Rudi decided to marry in the Philippines, where they had a daughter. Under the local legislation, Rudi was required to show a certificate that he was not married. He was afraid to return to Syria, so the certificate was handed over by his father. It said that Rudi was single, but deprived of his civil rights because of the case started in the army, so he could not marry…

In order to enter into a secular marriage in the registry office in the Philippines, it was necessary to get a permit from the Embassy of Syria, but it was also unsafe to apply there. Then Rudi and Tessie got married according to Islamic customs. For this purpose Tessie converted to Islam and took the Islamic name — Rahima. They found an imam in the Philippines, and he married them in an hour.

Rudi was granted his first visa for three months — he spent them in the Philippines with his wife and little daughter. During this time, they completed paperwork for Aishah, or Ishah, as they tenderly call her at home. Then Rudi left for work again. He spent two years travelling between Dubai and the Philippines, thinking about how and where their family could live together.

In order to live in Dubai, it was necessary to renew the visa every year, and Rudi’s passport was almost expired. Hostilities in Syria already broke out, and he didn’t want to go to the front line and kill fellow citizens.

Their family applied for asylum, and in 2015 they came to Belarus. They settled in Viciebsk, in a temporary accommodation center for asylum-seekers, started to learn Russian. With the help of UNHCR, they managed to rent an apartment.

“The owners treated us very well,” says Rudi. “Before we were offered empty apartments, and here we got some help with furniture, dishes, washing machine — before that Tessie washed everything with her own hands”.

“We are so grateful to UNHCR, without the help of this organization it would be very difficult for us,” Tessie says. “They helped us to find an apartment, pay for registration and insurance. Thanks to the Belarusian Red Cross Society for food and clothes!”

The family receives financial aid from UNHCR, but it’s a minimum amount, so to provide for the family Rudi went to work in a Syrian restaurant — got officially employed there after receiving the UNHCR mandate.

Now Rudi combines two positions: of a cook and a cashier.

“In Dubai, I only did paperwork,” he smiles, “and now I can do shawarma, have some practice, talk to people, improve language skills”.

Tessie admits that it is difficult to overcome the language barrier — not everyone speaks English in the offices of their city. She also misses her family very much, but here Viber comes to help.

Aishah also had a tough time. Because of poor language skills and unusual appearance, she suffered bullying at school. Now the girl has the highest marks at both Russian and English classes. She has made new friends.

Rudi says he would like to visit Syria — like any person, he misses his homeland, but he fears to be taken to war.

In Belarus, he likes nature, but most of all — peace in the country, though people at first seemed to be too serious.

“As soon as they get to know you, you feel how warm and friendly they are,” Rudi smiles.

Rudi has three brothers and three sisters, but all of them left Syria. His father moved to Germany; Rudi and his family is also getting ready to move.

Tessie says that now their family lives a simple life only has the necessaries. But the most important is that they are finally together.

In Belarus, Rudi and Tessie had a second daughter — they named her Zaina, which means “God’s blessing”.