Assem*, 37, is waiting for the right opportunity to cross to Europe. He’s Syrian, and he and his family have been living in Tunisia since 2017. He was happy when he found out that Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president from 2000 to 2024, had fled. But he doesn’t want to return.
“I lost my house and my family,” Assem said. “I have no reason to return to Syria. There’s nothing for me there but regret and pain. Even if I wanted to return, it’s not safe to do so.”
Yet Assem doesn’t see Tunisia as a long-term solution either. He’s found safety there, but not opportunity. “No one is bombing us here. But safe doesn’t mean it’s easy,” said Assem. “Life is hard, for Tunisian people too. There are no secure job opportunities, and prices are getting higher. I want to reach Europe to give my children a better future.”
