‘Freedom is everything’: A refugee in Greece tells her story

The day that Mugle and her husband learned she was pregnant with the couple’s first child should have been the happiest moment of their lives. Instead, it was the catalyst that spurred them to leave their homeland of Turkey in search of freedom.

The couple had been facing unjust persecution in the country for more than four years. Mugle’s husband, an accountant, had been jailed by authorities in 2016. Mugle herself would soon be a target of police, forcing her to take refuge in her own home for years. It was a time of profound loneliness. Mugle woke up every day facing the prospect of jail time, and ostracization from loved ones.

“My family didn’t want to talk to me,” she said. “My siblings didn’t want to talk to me. They were scared to talk to us. It’s such a terrifying feeling, not being able to talk to your family. It’s awful. You have to stand up to all of this alone and fight for your life.”

In 2020, Mugle and her husband discovered the joyous news that they were expecting a baby girl. She resolved, then and there, that there was no possibility that their daughter could ever safely grow up in Turkey. Knowing that further harassment awaited her if she stayed, she left her home and journeyed to the Meric River – the border between Turkey and Greece.

Becoming a refugee is one of the most difficult actions anyone can take. When Mugle made the dangerous crossing of the Meric, she left her entire life behind. She would be starting over, alone, in a country whose culture she did not share, whose language she did not speak. But she did so because it was her only chance at freedom.

There are thousands of refugees who have undergone experiences similar to Mugle’s. It is why Embrace Relief has pledged its support for these brave, freedom-seeking families in Greece, providing housing assistance, food, clothes, translators, educational services and legal aid. Mugle’s story is one of the Untold Stories of Refugees in Greece, and highlights the importance of community, solidarity, and material support for our most vulnerable friends.

‘Without them, we would have so many more struggles’

Upon arriving in Greece, Mugle gave birth to a healthy baby girl. But, as was the case during the worst times in Turkey, she was alone. Her husband had traveled on to another country, hoping to be able to support the family. But she would discover that this refugee community, and its related aid organizations like Embrace Relief, was stronger than what she had left behind.

The critical support she – and thousands of people like her – have received has made it possible to live relatively normal lives. It has given her the stability she and her family need, and will eventually allow them to reunite and thrive in their permanent home.

“[The associations] make us feel like we are not alone,” she says, clutching her daughter while speaking to an Embrace Relief representative in her apartment. “We really appreciate all of your help and support. Without them, we would have so many more struggles. Greece does not offer anything to refugees, like financial support.”

She added that one of the things that brought her the most joy was seeing the faces of children after receiving food packages with treats. Their smiles, she says, demonstrate “the love that we feel from your hearts.”

Mugle, who has been in Greece for more than 2 years awaiting reunification with her husband, hopes that her story can inspire feelings of mercy, which she described as “the most important part of being a human being.” She is forever grateful for the mercy shown to her and her daughter by Embrace Relief and the refugee community at large in Greece. And she is hopeful that support will continue to pour in for those people who, like her, risked it all to be free.

“Freedom represents everything in life,” she said. “That is why I’m here. That is why I took the risk of death with my children to be here.”

Donate today and support Refugees in Greece

Embrace Relief has supported thousands of refugees in Greece in recent years, providing much-needed financial assistance to families in their time of greatest need.

If you are inspired by the stories of brave women like Mugle, we ask you to consider donating to help these vulnerable families secure their freedom. Finding and paying for housing are by far the two biggest challenges for refugees in Greece, and your gift can ensure that families have a stable, safe living environment as they rebuild their lives.

Donate today using the box below and help us tell the Untold Stories of Refugees in Greece!