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We are proud to present the recipient of the Humanity in Action October ’43 Travel Grant 2023: Michael Graversen. We are exited to see how this important project will unfold!
The Rejected Refugee Children
Since 2013, hundreds of unaccompanied refugee children have been refused asylum in Denmark. By their very nature, they cannot be sent home, so they have to wait in an asylum center until they turn 18 and are sent home.
Some end up being sent home, others disappear from the asylum center – either into an illegal underground life in Denmark or flee to other countries or end up in a deportation center indefinitely. Michael Graversen wants to tell their stories.
“I will let 10 refugees, who came to Denmark as unaccompanied refugee children, tell their personal stories in a book”, Graversen explains.
For example, there is the story of brothers Wahid and Abolfazl, who were sent back to Kabul after several years in a child asylum center. After arriving in Kabul, they found themselves alone and without a roof over their heads.
Their story ended tragically when Abolfazl was killed and Wahid had to flee again. After several years in a basement in Iran, Wahid is now back in Denmark and has finally been granted asylum and has started a window cleaning company.
There is also the story of Safi, who went underground, worked illegally before fleeing to France and lived as homeless before being granted asylum.
Graversen has found the ten people who will be featured in the book, besides Denmark, they are in Afghanistan, Turkey, Italy, France and Greece. It is the travels to meet with these refigees that Humanity in Action’s Travel Grant will help cover.
The publication will be produced in collaboration with the publishing company GAD, and the aim is for the publication to be information for the general public, and that it also becomes a contribution to the public debate and is used in teaching.
Read more about the Humanity in Action October ’43 Travel Grant here.
