Life on the West Bank is upside down for Palestinians.  They have little of rights on their land that they have lived on for centuries. The towns that they do live in cannot grow because they are being strangled by encroaching Israeli settlements. East Jerusalem, internationally designated as the Palestinian capital - is not.  A journey that should take minutes takes hours and hours. The places where the are supposed to be safe - are not.

It is, says today's guest Firas, like Maqluba - the beloved Palestinian upside down dish. Except it isn't. Unlike Maqluba,living on the West Bank is neither tasty nor beloved. 

This episode is co-hosted by Zoya (our half Palestinian half Ukrainian guest from episode 9) who brings her compassion, with and  experience of, the Palestinian tragedy to a thoughtful discussion that ranges from Firas' personal story to  questions of decolonizing minds and managing conflict where laws and governance do not apply. And it ends - as so many of our stories do -  with the ties of the heart: those profound emotional bonds  that define what it means to truly belong "with" a place and its people. 

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You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

This episode is extraordinary not just because Tareq - a young man from Gaza - has  an extraordinary story to tell, but because as he tells it , one can hear each stage of his life unfiltered. He is able to express what Tareq the child felt long before his  adult self understood the years' long blockade -seige-  under which his city lived.  And  when we hear his story of when he first had to go to Jerusalem, we hear the shock of his treatment - as if it were happening to him today.  Tareq more than tells his story, he relives it. And so will you.

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You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

Imagine navigating the complex layers of survivor's guilt while fostering a beacon of innovation amidst the ricochet of conflict. Join us as we welcome Rowan, a resilient Palestinian businesswoman and engineer from the West Bank, who shares an intimate portrayal of life under occupation. Her vivid narratives reveal the deep cultural and spiritual significance of Ramadan, the ingenuity required to thrive as an entrepreneur in the Middle East, and the unwavering commitment to humanity that defines the Palestinian spirit. The tapestry of her story is woven with threads of hope and the stark realities of living amidst ongoing strife in Gaza.

The echoes of trauma reverberate through generations, shaping lives in ways that often remain hidden. This episode peels back the veil on the psychological impacts of continuous trauma as Rowan and I explore how Palestinians have normalized violence to the point of fearlessness. We delve into the challenges of mental health in conflict zones, sharing personal anecdotes that illustrate the complexity of seeking support in an environment where trauma is part of the everyday fabric of life. Through Rowan's eyes, we grasp the generational transmission of pain and perseverance, and understand the silent burdens carried within families.

Rowan's journey embodies the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial grit that can emerge from the most challenging circumstances. From her early education to launching her startup, Amal, aimed at revolutionizing the construction industry, Rowan's experiences highlight the economic and professional hurdles faced by Palestinians. The candid recount of her startup's evolution, from a simple Google Forms setup to a service impacting thousands, ultimately reflects the broader landscape of opportunity and growth in a region hungry for change. Her narrative not only captivates but also inspires, shining a light on the indomitable human spirit that persists in the wake of adversity.

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Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

Stellah Nikuze is the daughter of Rwanda genocide survivors. Born and brought up in the Kyaka 11 refugee camps in Uganda, she has emerged as a fierce advocate of refugees and the voiceless. 
Educated in classrooms with more than 100 children per teacher, she co-founded the Hodari Foundation which focuses on feeding, skilling and healing traumatised children in Uganda.. Now at university in Canada, Stellah turned that fierceness into working with the UN and other world bodies to fight for the rights of refugees wherever they are . 
Refugees, she reminds us, are punished twice: first by the warring factions that drive them away from their homes. And then by the host countries who will not let them work and  integrate in their new societies.

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Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

This is the story of Sofia - a Ukrainian refugee now living in Berlin. After living in Israel , she and her Israel husband  went back to Ukraine a few months before the war with Russia  in 2022,  to be with her mother and grandmother.All too quickly she  found her life turned upside down. 
This holder of a masters degree in international economics now works as a cleaner in Berlin and tells her story to Stephen Barden, with pain, with humour and fearsome grit.

Send us a text

Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

Refugees seek refuge and shelter.  Safety from being brutalised, from  the trauma of witnessing and experiencing acts of terror and horror. But also a haven  where they can retrieve their sense of humanity and self worth, without being spat on for their religion, skin colour or "foreign" accent in their new homes.

Our guest today is Susanne Höhne, trauma therapist and psychologist specialising in treating women refugees. She tells Stephen Barden that trauma work is rarely successful unless the patient is now in a safe place.  And that is why her workplace - the  wonderful Zentrum Überleben (the Survival Centre) in Berlin Germany -  tries to make sure that all its patients find true refuge and integration in their new countries, at work, at home and in society.

The stories she tells are not just stories of horror but of healing and determination as well. They also reflect the matter-of-fact strength of Susanne herself,  who has spent nearly two decades making sure her clients  survive their survival and then to thrive in it.

If you'd like to support, or be helped by, the center please go to their site, which is both in English and German. The address is https://www.ueberleben.org/en/home-en/ 
Zentrum ÜBERLEBEN
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 30 39 06 -0
Fax: +49 (0) 30 30 61 43 71

E-Mail: [email protected]

Or take a look at similar organizations in your country, your city or your town and see where you can help or be helped. 

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Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

This is the story of  Zoya, born into a world of upheaval, chaos, and strife and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon - as was her father and grandfather. Equally important, this is also the story of a young woman's journey to transform her harsh reality into a journey of resilience, compassion, and leadership 

Our conversation  takes us from one place of conflict -   Lebanon - to another in  Ukraine, where she and her family sought refuge before the  war there drove them to seek yet another sanctuary. With extraordinary calmness and lack of self pity,  Zoya  tells us of the violence that  has dominated so much of  her life; of her people who have been without  a home for 75 years, and of her fears that the people of Gaza are in the middle of a new Nakba, that drove 800,000 Palestinians from their homes and country a quarter of a century ago. 
 
The name Zoya, in Arabic, means "loving, caring and alive to the world". And that is exactly what shines through this extraordinary young woman  who, somehow, has found  her voice in kindness, compassion, deep inner reflection - and a clear moral compass. 

So, this conversation  moves through the ongoing trauma,  to Zoya's  search for transformation: in herself, her people and for the rest of us. 

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Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

This is the story of Janvier Hafasha – originally from the Rutshuru zone of north Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and now living in the Kyaka refugee settlement in Uganda. Janvier is one of nearly 400,000 people (according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) who have been terrorized out of Rutshuru, most of them fleeing to Uganda. 

Janvier is much more than a refugee. He is an extraordinary leader who, despite suffering almost unimaginable personal tragedies, has gone on to co-found an organization that nurtures and develops children in the Kyaka refugee camp– ensuring that they are not only fed but that they heal and grow stronger by learning  to share their stories and by protecting  those who have disabilities and are even more vulnerable than they are. 

Send us a text

Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

Ready to have your perspective shaken and stirred? Join me, Stephen Barden, as I sit down with Peter Ruhenstroth Bauer, the Head of the UN's  Refugee organization in Germany. I hope this episode will help provide a global perspective of the massive migration of people in the world. I hope, too, it will  break down those assumptions so many of us in the richer countries hold.
Most refugees just want to live the good life in your country?
Not true:they just want to be home, in peace.
Most refugees into Europe come from Africa?
Think again:   a disproportionate number hail from just three countries - Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan.

We switch gears to discuss the plight of refugees in Germany and the intricacies of the EU's policies. We explore  the often fraught process of refugee resettlement, shedding light on the rights and privileges granted to refugees in Germany. We also consider the power of education in reshaping the narrative around refugees. As we wrap up the conversation, we look at the potential of platforms like our Migrant Odyssey podcast series to foster understanding and empathy around forced migration. Listen in,  and engage in  the conversation.

Send us a text

Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.

Prepare yourself for a gripping narrative that will take you from the conflict-stricken areas of South Sudan to the mud-walled houses of Kakuma refugee camp, and ultimately to the heart of Germany. Our guest, Okello Joseph, shares his riveting journey of survival, struggle, and success in today's episode. His story is a testament to human resilience and the fierce belief of his value as a human being and film maker.

Imagine leaving everything you know behind at the age of three.  Not just being torn from your village and country but being sent away by your mother and not knowing your real name for years. Imagine that when you meet your mother again after many years, her only message to you is : "when I die, you will live like a dog". .

It takes unrelenting determination to drive through those obstacles to survive let alone thrive.  Yet Okello Joseph, not only found the strength to endure  but  to ensure his creativity did so as well.

This is a true story of resilience that aspiring  leaders in the wealthier countries could do well to emulate.

Send us a text

Support the show

You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.