“I Was Not Scared to Die”: From Fear to Freedom

Trigger warning / Content warning: This article contains descriptions and themes related to female genital mutilation (FGM), abuse, coercion, and trauma. These topics may be distressing or triggering for some readers.

Please take care of your emotional well-being. If you choose to continue, read at your own pace and feel free to stop at any time.

Khadija was still a child when her world began to break apart. Her mother died giving birth to her younger sister, and just a few years later, her father passed away as well. At fourteen, she moved in with her stepmother, someone who had once shown her kindness, until the day her father was no longer there to protect her.

What followed were years of violence and silence. Her stepmother’s adult son raped her. Later, her fiancé did the same.

“I bled for weeks,” she recalls. “They never took me to the hospital. They just gave me pampers. I was in pain for over a month.”

No one intervened.

When her stepmother prepared her for the Bondo Society. a secret group practicing female genital mutilation. Khadija knew she needed to run. When a young girl in the FGM “camp” did not survive the procedure, she and another girl escaped that very same night.

Her journey took her across continents and danger zones: from a fruit truck in Macane to Gambia, Guinea, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and eventually Greece. She travelled alone, with no protection. She was arrested in Iraq for carrying false documents and spent weeks in jail.

She survived a boat accident on her way to Greece.

“A man pulled me out of the sea,” she says. “Death has missed me many times. I wasn’t even scared to die.”

Homeless at 18

Khadija landed in Mytilene, Lesvos in February 2022, cold, alone, and exhausted after the boat capsized near shore.

Barely weighing 45 kg and shivering, she wandered the streets until a kind stranger noticed her walking aimlessly and paid for a taxi to take her to a refugee camp. At just 17, she was placed in a shelter for minors and later transferred to Athens. For months, she finally had a warm bed, regular meals, and access to social workers.

She dreamed of studying, of building a future beyond mere survival, but instead of encouragement, she was told to focus on finding a job. Her aspirations were set aside, dismissed as unrealistic.She was told that once she turned 18, she would have to fend for herself: Government protection would stop, and as she is no longer considered a minor, she would no longer be allowed to stay in the shelter.

And on the very day she turned 18, She was told she had to leave. Her bags were already packed and waiting by the doorway.

A Place to Rest and Begin Again

Carrying everything she owned, she went to another organisation where a case worker urgently called Action for Women. We accepted her immediately.

“The AFW shelter was peaceful. We respected each other. Sometimes we even had dance parties,” she says with a smile. “It helped me feel safe again.”

With AFW’s support, she enrolled in night school to study math, English, biology, history, and physics.

“The teachers were patient and kind. My classmates were from everywhere, Afghanistan, Iran, Greece. I was so happy to learn again.”

AFW’s social worker helped her navigate daily life in Greece: securing her documents, opening a bank account, accessing healthcare, and planning for the future.

“In Greece, you have to make a place for yourself,” she says. “AFW helped me understand how to start.”

Dreams Beyond Survival

Despite everything she endured, her dream remained steady:

“I want to become a nurse. And one day, I want to open an orphanage back home. In Sierra Leone, only the rich get justice. I want to change that for children like me.”

And today, she is doing exactly that.

Thanks to your support, Khadija is studying full-time in nursing school. Her tuition fees are fully covered for three years by an incredibly generous private donor who wishes to remain anonymous. She works part-time in the evenings to contribute to her rent and continues to receive food support and Greek lessons through AFW.

This is a story of courage, resilience, and quiet determination.

AFW provided safety, stability, and opportunity, but Khadija brought the strength, the hope, and the vision to rebuild her life.

Support more dreams like Khadija's here.