Ahmad, 27, from Mazar-i Sharif, Afghanistan, is married with two young children. Once a police officer, I met him in 2016 on the island of Lesbos, Greece, while working on my project “Waves of the Heroes”, exploring the European border crisis. I encountered him as he was returning from Mytilini, the island’s main city—an 8-km walk under the scorching sun to fetch cigarettes and medication. We spent the day talking in the shade of a truck, just a few kilometers from Moria refugee camp, where he and his family were staying.

Moria, originally built for 1,200 people, was housing over 4,000 when we met. Known as Europe’s worst refugee camp, it was overcrowded, unsafe, and rife with insecurity. Ahmad spoke about the dire conditions and the mounting tensions between Syrian and Pakistani refugees, often resulting in violent confrontations. He also shared stories of sexual violence in the camp, describing how these incidents left deep scars on the residents, especially women and children. The constant fear of attack took a psychological toll on everyone, and Ahmad spoke about the daily struggle to stay safe.

Ahmad also mentioned the dozens of unaccompanied children who had gone missing since his arrival, adding a grim layer to the already dire situation.

To cross the 5 km of sea between Turkey and Greece, Ahmad and his family had to pay smugglers—€2,000 per adult and additional costs for each child, totaling €6,000. This was the price for “safety,” as he put it—the cost of purchasing the right to escape the dangers of his homeland and seek a better life in Europe.