Reports

Muhamad R. H. (2021)

My parents, my three brothers and I had to leave Syria because of the political situation and in 2015 we arrived here in Dresden. Luckily we got into contact with Dresden-Place to be! e.V. There we met people who helped us in so many different situations. Whenever it was necessary we had the opportunity to ask them for support. Whether we needed help concerning school questions or my parents needed somebody to be accompanied to appointments with teachers.

Members of Dresden Place to be met my youngest brother in the public library to make him a good reader.
Dresden Place to be supported us financing extra tuition for my brothers. One of them was able to change to Freiberg College and my youngest brother finished 3rd grad successfully. In Syria my mother was a teacher for Arabic. Dresden-Place to be financed a one-year-job at an elementary-school.

When I had finished my training as a practical carer with the very best grade I decided it was time for me to move into an own little apartment. Dresden-Place to be supported me in a very generous way to get the rooms furnished.

I now have a permanent contract with the Universitäts-Klinikum Dresden. I could easily tell about so many other helpful things the initiative Dresden-Place to be and its members did to us. Anyway it is wonderful to know people in Dresden whose intention is to help.

Prative Kafle

I was lucky and able to start studying medicine in Germany. Before I learned the German language and had to pass a test. I was financed by my parents. But when an earthquake in 2015 destroyed everything my parents owned, they were not any longer able to finance me.

Luckily I got into contact with Dresden-Place to be and they offered their help. With a kind of scholarship I was able to continue my studies. Members of Dresden-Place to be helped me to apply for further scholarships. With their help I flew to Nepal to pass an internship which is part of the medical study. And I was so happy to meet my parents.

As a scholarship is limited I had financial problems to buy all the working material for courses and tests. Even at that point Dresden-Place to be helped me and paid for it. I am very interested in music and theatre. From time to time members of Dresden-Place to be gave me tickets for the opera or theatre. This is always special treat I really appreciate.

Meanwhile I passed the master’s degree and applied for a new scholarship successfully.

I am grateful that Dresden-Place to be supported me in such a generous way. The initiative helped me to fulfill my dream to become a medical doctor.

Tanya C.

I am very thankful to "Dresden-Place to be" for always supporting newcomers like myself by organizing events and cultural activities for everyone. Integration into a new culture is definitely a challenging step for everyone who has dared leaving a home behind, hoping to establish a new one elsewhere. Thanks to " Dresden Place to be" and the wonderful people who manage this association, I had the pleasure of getting to know one of the most interesting and intelligent people I have met in Dresden. Not only did she offer to devote some time of her busy schedule to help me deepen my German language skills, but she also happened to own an amazing art gallery, be a very smart and interesting woman and someone who has always accepted me with open heart and big smile. I can definitely say that she became not only my mentor but also my friend. Thank you all, who constantly find a way to support newcomers and help us find our own path to success.

Now, I can certainly call myself lucky for having the privilege to be a part of this great place to be, Dresden. 

Suleiman Halwani

Coming from Syria I arrived in Dresden in 2015.

My first contact to Dresden-Place to be! e.V. was in the Montagscafé in Glacisstraße. This was great luck for me to get to know members of this initiative. They gave me a warm welcome and helped me in so many situations I would have never managed without them.

After months in the refugee-camp one member helped me finding a room in a shared apartment. She helped me understanding official papers, writing a curriculum vitae or applications. I also got a bike and whenever I had a question or problem I felt free to call her and ask for help and support. There are more problems I could easily talk about I would have never solved without Dresden-Place to be.

I do not want to talk only about the problems but tell about the positive things people did to me. I was often invited to concerts, private parties, and to events that were arranged. Due to Dresden-Place to be I made new contacts for instance to the initiative Tango offen und bunt, cooperating with Dresden-Place to be. They offer tango-lessons which I took part in.

Even if I am not in Dresden at the moment I still feel free to contact Dresden-Place to be. It is a good feeling to know that there is somebody in Dresden I can always call if needed.