May 28th, 2023

It’s now been four days since I returned home. First realisation: without my scooter, staying here would have been impossible. Yes, crutches allow you to get around, but carrying a cup of coffee from the kitchen to the living room? Completely out of the question! Second recognition: without Deniz’s help, all of this would be far more difficult.

But who is Deniz?

I’m stepping away for a moment from my travel diary to share another story, one about time spent trying to help someone in need of support, and just how rewarding that can be.

I first met Deniz nearly four years ago through Amnesty. He had fled Turkish Kurdistan and sought refuge in Switzerland. After spending six months in a refugee camp near Zurich, he was transferred to Schafhausen, in the Emmental region. Beautiful countryside, yes, but the camp itself? A disgrace for Switzerland. I won’t go into the details. Later on, he was able to move in with a distant relative in Bern, with the support of a psychiatrist. Amnesty International is also following his case.

Then came COVID, and with the restrictions, I couldn’t work anymore: no exhibitions, no press conferences, nothing. Suddenly, I had plenty of free time. That’s when I began helping Deniz with his integration into Swiss life.

Top priority: language. During his time in the camps, he had taught himself the basics of German, reaching A1 and A2 levels. Unfortunately, the language courses offered by the authorities were ineffective for various reasons. To really make progress, he needed to attend proper classes, but without money, that was out of the question.So we sent dozens of donation requests to cultural organisations, companies, foundations, and so on. I had little experience and wasn’t very hopeful. And yet, against all odds, the magazine Der Beobachter generously agreed to fund the majority of his B1 course. After passing the exam, Deniz moved on to B2 level, but once again, we faced funding issues.

Since our strategy had worked well the first time, we sent out more letters and a foundation in Lucerne stepped in to cover the B2 course, which Deniz also completed with flying colours.

But attending classes isn’t enough to fill your days or truly master a language. Deniz had always wanted to work in healthcare. However, with his F refugee permit, he wasn’t allowed to work. So I started looking into internship opportunities. After quite a few efforts, he managed to secure four placements: in a care home, at Tiefenau Hospital, with SPITEX (home care services), and at the Sonnenhof Clinic, the very place where I’ve just spent ten days!

The world of healthcare suits him perfectly, and it’s clear that he’s determined to build a career in the field.

More on that another time.