Jamal’s* Journey: An Unaccompanied Minor’s Path to Finding a New Home

Jamal’s* Journey: An Unaccompanied Minor’s Path to Finding a New Home

Meet Jamal*, a 17-year-old boy originally from Syria, whose journey to the Netherlands embodies resilience and hope. After traveling alone for three months and navigating life at a refugee reception center, Jamal found a new home with Movement On The Ground. In this interview, he shares his experiences of adapting to life in the Netherlands, the meaningful guidance he receives from his mentors, and his dreams of pursuing social work to help others in the future. 

Can you tell us who you are and share a bit about your journey to the Netherlands?

I am 17 years old, originally from Syria, and Kurdish. I arrived in the Netherlands in June 2022 when I was fifteen. I started my journey in Ter Apel, the registration center in the north, where I was by myself but surrounded by many other people. It was a bit scary because I didn’t know where I would end up—I didn’t know anything at all. I was also really tired after traveling for three months from Turkey.

Although I was born in Syria, I’ve lived most of my life in Turkey. My family moved there when I was six years old, so I barely have memories of Syria. My sister still lives there, another one lives in Germany, and my parents remain in Turkey. Life in Turkey wasn’t easy—there’s a lot of discrimination against Syrians.

After spending a month in Ter Apel, I moved to Amsterdam to live with Movement on the Ground. Life here is much better than in the camp, as there are only twelve boys living here. The mentors have the time and space to listen to all of us, which was very different from the camp, where there were hundreds of people, and the COA couldn’t manage to help everyone

What is your day-to-day experience like living in the house with the other residents? 

It is good to be living with Movement on the Ground. I like that the mentors help me prepare for my future, and the other boys living here are nice—it feels cosy in the house. The mentors support me a lot with important things, like handling letters and preparing for appointments with the municipality or Vluchtelingenwerk. Since I’m almost turning 18, some things will change, and their help makes it easier for me to get ready.

What kinds of activities or guidance have you received from your mentors, both recreational and supportive? Are there any that you particularly enjoy or find meaningful?

What brings me the most joy is doing activities together with the mentors and the other boys. Sometimes we play soccer or go away for a few nights for special activities. It’s really nice to spend time all together as a group. One of my favorite things is when we all eat together—it’s something we do twice a week, and I really enjoy those moments.

What are some goals or plans you have for the future that you would like to achieve?

My first goal is to finish school. Right now, I’m studying to become a service assistant, but this is just my entry year. It’s designed to help me learn a lot of Dutch and get familiar with studying here. After this, I’m considering pursuing a career in healthcare—or maybe something else, I’m not entirely sure yet. However, what I really, really hope to study in the future is social work. That’s a level 4 program in secondary vocational education, which can be a bit challenging, but I’m confident I’ll get there one day. I enjoy being around people and helping them, and social work feels like the perfect fit for me.

Alongside my studies, I’m doing an internship near Amsterdam in a beautiful old house. It’s a place where a lot of people come together, and I get to talk with them, which has been amazing for improving my Dutch. I enjoy speaking Dutch and practicing it, although it’s difficult. At home and at school, I speak a lot of Arabic because many of the people around me also speak Arabic. It’s the same at work—most of my colleagues are from Syria, Eritrea, or other Arabic-speaking countries.

If all goes well, one of my goals for 2025 is to get my driver’s license. It’s something I’m really looking forward to achieving!

*A fictive name was used to preserve his identity