Madrid, 28 years old, from Syria
My husband, Moataz, and I met each other a long time ago. He gifted me this watch when we first fell in love. Later on we got married, and since then, I haven’t stopped wearing it. I took the watch with me when we went to Libya, despite I was afraid to lose it or that it would get stolen. For me it was so important to have it because this watch symbolizes his love for me. When I was in the detention centre in Libya, I had a skin allergy, but I kept it on. I wear it whether I’m asleep, washing or whatever I do, because this watch connects me strongly to him.
On the 5th of February 2024, Madrid embarked with her husband, their son and her mother-in-law on an unseaworthy wooden boat from the Libyan sores in an attempt to reach Europe. About 15 hours later, the four of them were rescued by MSF, alongside another 130 people, in the middle of the Central Mediterranean. © MSF/Mohamad Cheblak
Amer*, 31 years old, from Syria
When I was suffering and about to give up and surrender, these little items gave me hope. They reminded me why I moved to look for a better future for me and my girlfriend. These items carry a huge amount of memories and meaning. It was hard to carry them all the way and across borders to ensure they didn’t get ruined. I carried them when I crossed the desert and walked through valleys. I was ready to let go of the clothes I had but didn’t want to lose these. The wooden piece has been damaged because of the heat and humidity, but I will fix it. My girlfriend gave me this notebook because I love writing poetry and literature.
Amer* and his brother Khalil*, 26 years old, were living in Damascus in Syria until 2021, where they left for Libya to attempt crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Amer* and Khalil* were rescued by MSF on the 30th of November 2023 from a fiberglass boat in distress. © MSF/Mohamad Cheblak
*Names were changed
Precious, 27 years old, from Nigeria
I was scared of losing my SIM card, it contains the phone numbers of my family and loved ones. I protected it during the toughest moments of the journey; it’s the only link I have left with the people I left behind in my country. In Libya during the detention, I hid it in my T-shirt’s seams, and it worked, they did not find it. I still have it with me, and I am very grateful for that.
Precious left her country in January 2022 due to the increase of violence and instable political situation. She spent 10 months in Libya, where she faced violence and detention. She was rescued by MSF in the middle of the night on 15th of October 2023 from an overcrowded rubber boat. It was her fourth sea crossing attempt to reach Europe.
Mohammad, 33 years old, from Syria
On 5th of February 2024, MSF teams rescued 134 people in distress from an overcrowded wooden boat in the Central Mediterranean. Mohammad was one of them. © MSF/Mohamad Cheblak
This hat means a lot to me. It’s not a traditional hat but still it’s a beautiful one. I have it since I left Syria two years ago; it was given to me by my mother, and she told me to keep it with me. It has been my companion across the whole journey, even in detention. When I was detained in Libya, I used this hat to cover my eyes and sleep, so that I wouldn’t see the over-crowdedness and circumstances under which people were living. If I were to lose it, no other hat could replace it.
