For several years, refugees have been crossing the Strait in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Italy, often in unseaworthy vessels. The passage is longer and more dangerous than more recent crossing points, such as those between Turkey and Greece. According to the UN refugee agency, more than 2,500 people have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2023. Approximately 186,000 people have arrived in European countries during the same period. This is a significant number but far fewer than in recent years, particularly between 2014 and 2017. During my first year in Germany, I myself lived in several refugee camps. The stories of refugees coming to Germany were entrancing, and I often listened to their narratives. In December 2022, I had the opportunity to photograph refugees on their way to Europe. I joined an initiative with the organization SOS Humanity, searching for boats carrying refugees in the central Mediterranean. Our goal was to transfer them to Italy by ship.
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There are various groups of nomads around the world, and this project specifically focuses on the nomadic community in Iran. These nomads endure extremely impoverished conditions primarily due to government neglect. The Iranian constitution denies them any rights and even prevents them from obtaining official documents. They possess a unique lifestyle and culture, which I have endeavored to capture through my photography. They were compelled to migrate from their original provinces due to the scarcity of job opportunities and harsh living conditions. Currently, they dwell in dire poverty. Nomadic children scavenge in garbage dumps to find daily necessities, and often, they beg alongside their parents in major cities because the government has not provided them with identification documents. Their makeshift homes are constructed from materials salvaged from the garbage. Substance addiction is prevalent among the nomadic population. They lack access to clean drinking water and grapple with various health challenges. This photo collection sheds light on the lives of nomadic families from Southern Iran. Owing to their living conditions and remote locations, they remain virtually unknown to the rest of the Iranian population and the world. Many Iranians mistakenly assume that nomads enjoy the same civil liberties and rights as others, but this is far from reality. During my interactions with them in the Khorasan province, I came to understand that they have their own distinct way of life, and I would like to share it with you.
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Migration is often associated with the hope for a better life—whether for economic, political, or security reasons. But for many families, especially from regions like the Middle East, migration means more than just a geographical change; it also brings emotional separation. When individual family members migrate to different European countries, the traditional family structure often falls apart. Physical distances, cultural differences, and everyday challenges in the new country lead to families living apart for years. I am the youngest child in a large family from Kurdistan, Iran. I have six sisters and two brothers. One year before I was born, my eldest sister, Shehin, got married and emigrated with her husband. The following year, my other sister, Shahla, also left our home. This meant that our family could never be together in one place. Being united was our mother’s wish. We often made plans, but bringing together a large family living in different countries (Iran, Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany) was difficult and expensive. Sadly, our mother passed away on June 6, 2023. After that, we all felt an even greater need to fulfill her wish. Even though our mother was no longer with us, we were finally able to make her dream come true. We spent twenty days in Istanbul, Turkey—a place that was not our home, but where we could all be together. I have always taken photos of my family, but this time I felt a strange loneliness and sense of separation. So I saw my camera as a motherly embrace that brought us closer together, and I was finally able to take a picture in which we were all together—a family photo.
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These photos were captured in the autonomous Region of Kurdistan, located to the west of Sharya and south of Duhok City. Here lies a tent city established by the Kurdish government, serving as a sanctuary for Yazidi Kurdish refugees who fled the imminent danger posed by ISIS in Shingal. Most of these refugees undertook a grueling journey on foot, enduring days without access to water or sustenance. While Kurdish military forces rescued many, tragically, some lost their loved ones to ISIS. For eight long years, the Yazidis have called the Sharya camp their home, living within these tents. The uncertainty looms over how much longer they will have to stay in this camp. They have come to regard these tents as their abode, and they treat them with the care and dignity befitting a home. Approximately 80% of the camp’s population comprises women and children, who spend their days within the camp’s confines. Meanwhile, some of the men venture to nearby cities for employment. To add a personal touch to their living spaces, families adorn their otherwise identical tents with various fabrics on the inside, imbuing each tent with its unique character and identity.
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Semko was 3.5 years old and suffered from microcephaly, a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a significantly smaller head circumference compared to the standard deviation for age and gender. Microcephaly is a severe neurological condition, and while its definition may vary, it generally indicates a challenging situation. Individuals with microcephaly often face a reduced life expectancy and a grim prognosis for normal brain function, which can vary depending on the presence of associated abnormalities. This collection tells the poignant story of Semko and his mother. She tirelessly worked to provide for her child because Semko’s condition required constant care, making it impossible for him to be left alone at home. Theirs was a challenging journey filled with love and devotion.
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