16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. © UNHCR
Nina* was born and raised in Sierra Leone. She endured female genital mutilation (FGM) as a young girl, a strict practice in her homeland. Today she is a recognised refugee in Cyprus, living independently and feeling more positively about the future. When we first met Nina a year ago, she had just been granted refugee status, a happy day. One year on, we were interested to find out how being granted international protection has made a difference in her life as a woman, and as a single mother – and about her hopes for the future.
Since being granted refugee status, the biggest change in her life, Nina tells us, is being able to work and support herself and her family and improve their living conditions. She had to turn down various low-skilled and low-paid jobs. “Being a single mother, I had to find a job that enabled me to pay for childcare and cover all our other costs,” said Nina. Working now in customer service at a call centre, Nina finds herself in a more professional environment. While her salary is not very high, she is happy not to be relying on government benefits and values feeling more independent. Still, Nina’s job is quite far from where she lives, and so she relies on colleagues for her commute everyday. “The next thing I would like to do is take driving lessons and hopefully get my own car,” she says with a smile.
The other important change that came with refugee status is a feeling of safety, Nina explains, after feeling insecure and vulnerable as an asylum-seeker. She had to live in apartments that did not have proper conditions to raise a child, not being able to afford anything better on the benefits and emergency money she was receiving. “I was scammed on a rental contract when I was still an asylum-seeker,” she told us. “I lost a lot of money. I went to the police, but they said they couldn’t do anything to help me.”
Nina’s two-year old daughter Lara* is in nursery school now and, on those days that Nina’s shifts run later, their housemate takes care of her. “I didn’t know I was pregnant until after I arrived in Cyprus,” Nina said. Now as a recognised refugee, she feels her young daughter is also safe, and protected from FGM, which she would not have been able to escape had they stayed in Sierra Leone.
Nina is a kind and gentle person. Already at the age of 28, she is wise, given her struggles on her own to reach safety. She lost both her parents in a short space of time and remembers them fondly. Nina looks at life positively, which her faith seems to help her to maintain. Raised in a Muslim family, Nina rebelled and chose Christianity as an adult, and has recently been baptised. “I always felt closer to the Christian faith, even as a child,” she says. “My parents loved me so much, they had to accept my choice once I became an adult.”
Though she was loved by her father and mother growing up, Nina has been less fortunate with partners. She fell in love and got married at age 19 and has a son back in Sierra Leone. Her marriage did not work out, and she is now sending money home to her ex-husband to help with their son’s living expenses. “My mum and dad are not there anymore. I don’t miss anything from home. Only my son,” Nina said. She is hoping to bring her son to come and live with her, having spent several years away from him. With refugee status, she will be able to apply for family reunification procedures.
About the future, Nina seems hopeful. Her dream has always been to become a nurse. “I always wanted to help people, and to save lives. I think being a nurse is a wonderful way to do that,” she says. “With God’s grace, I will achieve this. Everything depends on God’s will.”
To other women, Nina says: “If you want to become a strong woman, you have to believe that you can. I try to be strong and stand for myself. Now I’m very happy that I’m working, and I don’t depend on government money. Get skills, don’t depend on a man to provide for you, because then you are not free. It’s hard for me to trust another man. Even as a single mother, I want to be independent. Let me stand for myself.”
*Names changed for protection reasons.
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