Love Prevails: Despite difficult circumstances, these refugees found hope through love

Love welcomes, love brings hope, love inspires, love prevails…

Due to conflict, persecution, and humanitarian crises, more than 84 million people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes, communities, and families, often with very little. Despite challenging hardships and treacherous journeys, many prove that love prevails over adversity. To celebrate Valentine's Day this year, we want to share five stories of refugees who found hope through love.

Love Welcomes: Mawaheb and Ida

"I know I am lucky," says Mawaheb reminiscing about the pleasant yet unexpected turn his journey in Serbia took. 

In 2012, Mawaheb fled Syria due to persecution after he participated in demonstrations. Mawaheb arrived in Serbia, applied for asylum, and was granted refugee status. He soon began working as a software engineer and rebuilding his life. One day, Mawaheb met the woman of his dreams, Ida, while she was walking her dog. 

"From the moment we met, we were together all the time," says the couple.

Ida recalls their relationship growing organically from the first day they met as if they had known each other their whole life. 

Soon after, the couple married and now lives in Belgrade with Ida's dog, Lulu, and Mawaheb's cat, Fidel, who have also learned to live together in their happy household.

Love Brings Hope: Nidal’s family

Twenty-two-year-old Syrian refugee Nidal can now relax with his wife and four-year-old son at their home in the coastal city of Témara, near the Moroccan capital of Rabat. 

Before arriving in Morocco, life was difficult for the young family —  they were forced to flee their home in Syria due to the war.

Before the war, they were both still in school and t had big plans, hopes and dreams. Now, they are dedicated to providing their child with the life they were denied. Through resettlement and assistance from UNHCR, hope is beginning to look like a reality for the couple. 

Nidal and his wife consider themselves fortunate to still be with their family members, who also fled to Morocco and live in the same area.

Love Inspires: Abdulrahman and Silva

Abdulrahman and Silva were forced to seek asylum while on their honeymoon in Prague. 

Though seeking asylum was not an easy journey for the Syrian couple, they instantly felt welcomed and at home in the Czech Republic. When their son was born prematurely, the family felt grateful for being welcomed to the Czech Republic because their son received the lifesaving care he needed. Once settled, Abdulrahman wanted to start building stability and a future for his growing family — he found an opportunity with IKEA.

In Syria, Abdulrahman and Silva owned a furniture factory that employed 50 workers. Through the job opportunity at IKEA, Abdul hopes for career growth in the future. 

"In the future, I hope to learn [the] Czech language quickly to be a part of society," says Abdul. "I hope to be in a good position in IKEA company and in the end, I hope to have my furniture company," he continues. 

Now, the couple is recognized as refugees, and have found hope in the city of Prague, where they live with their son, Sam.

Since 2010, the IKEA Foundation has partnered with UNHCR to help respond to global emergencies and help create more opportunities for refugees like Abdul, providing them with the resources to build a bright future. 

Love Prevails: Louai and Karima 

From a young age, Louai experienced the hardships of being a refugee. As a child, his family fled Palestine and he grew up in Egypt and then Libya. 

"The Palestinians did not live through good times," says Louai.

When Louai met the love of his life, Karima, his life turned around, and his circumstances seemed to improve. But when the revolution hit, they were forced to flee once again to Tunisia.

During this time, Louai continued to travel to Libya for work. One day while at work Louai suffered a stroke. Karima was devastated and worried about their future. She did everything she could to give him the best chances to survive and recover, but his only document was a refugee card, which complicated everything. 

"I was praying for him to wake up. He is the love of my life; he has to wake," she shares. "I was speaking to him, giving him cuddles. I felt he was here with me. I was about to lose my mind." The stroke left him half-paralyzed and completely dependent on his wife's care. 

Louai was able to gain assistance through UNHCR and local partners in Tunisia. The care helped but was not enough and Louai’s refugee status denied him additional opportunities.

UNHCR and local advocates petitioned for his inclusion in national assistance programs. Thanks to their coordination and advocacy work, Louai now holds a card that allows him to receive free healthcare, transport, and medical equipment, giving his wife ease and the ability to continue to care for him with little concern. 

How you can help…

Refugee families are resilient and strong, finding hope even in the darkest of times, but they can’t reach safety alone. Together, we can continue to help uplift refugee families during their journeys to find a home. By making a donation, you can give hope to thousands of refugees looking to resettle and have a brighter future.