*By Georgia Michael
Mariamie Besala Welo from the Democratic Republic of Congo could be part of an upbeat story about a teenager whose will to learn has allowed her to do the impossible while aiming for an even more promising tomorrow. Yet her life is in danger, as she confessed to the Cyprus Times, of being ruined, putting her dreams in jeopardy.
She was living a normal life until... they were wanted for murder
Things were not always so complicated for her and her family. They lived a normal life in the town of Lubumbashi. The father of the family, Welo Besala worked in a travel agency, mother Julie had her own hair salon and their three children attended schools.
In 2016 the situation in the country was tense. Although elections were to be held, they were postponed due to lack of funds. Therefore, Joseph Kabila's term of office was extended until the 2018 elections. The Welo family was unwittingly involved in the political games.
"As our parents explained to us, it all started when a politician, who was an opponent of the then President, went to my father and bought a plane ticket. According to the government, this politician could not leave the country. But this was not recorded anywhere for my father to know. After the purchase was made they thought my father was his accomplice and wanted to kill him. The whole family's life was in danger. In fact, there were times when strangers came to pick us up from school. They would supposedly tell the school administration that my father sent them. However, because they knew that my father was coming to pick us up, they did not believe them. Maybe we were spared a kidnapping. Nobody knows," the 16-year-old student said.
"He took me away while I was writing exams... I didn't know... I was angry with my father."
[BR][BR]Both the then 12-year-old Mariamie and her siblings didn't understand what was happening. But everything changed from one moment to the next.
"I was in the first grade of high school. It was my last day of exams at school when my father suddenly came with a friend to pick me up. After we left the school we went to his friend's house. My brothers and my mother came there. Neither me nor my brothers knew why we were there. The adults were talking to each other but we couldn't understand what was going on. In the evening of the same day we boarded a plane carrying goods and went to Kinshasa which is the capital. There for about a week we were hiding in a church. Then my father arranged through his acquaintances abroad and we left the country and came to Cyprus."
Until their arrival in Cyprus the little girl did not know the reason why they had been expelled and so anger reaped inside her. "I was so angry that I didn't speak to my father for days. I didn't understand why from one moment to the next we went away from home and our friends. At some point, from the first days we had come, while we were all sitting together, it was explained to us. Even then I can say that I didn't realize what had really happened and how much danger we were in. But now that I'm slowly growing up, I realize that everything was for our own good."
The great difficulty, the struggle to learn and adapt
And as the wise people say every beginning is difficult. So it was in this case. The Welo family may have felt safe now, but they were in a foreign country, with no one who knew the language, no one they knew and nowhere to stay.
"For two months we lived temporarily in some little houses that were provided for us. Then we managed to find our house in Nicosia. My parents did not find stable work easily. They did what they could to support us. Now we are much better off. My father works in a petrol station and my mother works in a cafeteria."
The big difficulty for everyone though was the language. "We only knew French, Swahili and Lingala and we had to learn Greek and English to be able to communicate. We went to public school normally." But no one gave up. Everyone in the family showed that the difficulties proved the strength within them.
They enrolled their children in public schools while the parents themselves enrolled in the DRACE program to learn Greek as well. In fact, as Mr. Marios Christou, one of their teachers, who disclosed the problem they face, revealed, in the two years he taught them they did not record a single absence. While, he added, the father enrolled in a private university to study tourism without even applying for a student visa.
Mariamie does not hesitate to say that the adjustment was not easy at all. "At school, accordingly, I was well received. There were of course those who looked at me a bit strangely but I knew I was different. I didn't feel the racism although I probably experienced it. At first I thought I was seen that way because of the fact that I was new. Then I realized that it was probably a kind of racism too. I tried to do my best to adjust. I took language reinforcement classes 14 hours a week so that I could speak and write Greek to be good at school and to get along with others. At the same time I had to learn English."
She believes things were somewhat better for her younger siblings, now aged 13 and 11, as she said children in primary school are more receptive and it was easier for them to fit in as well.
"I feel Cyprus is my homeland" but... Cyprus drives her away
After almost four years in Cyprus she managed to make friends and integrate well into Cypriot society and become part of it. A typical example is her participation in the 25th of March parade. Wearing the traditional uniform and proudly holding the Greek flag, she proved that knowing and respecting the history of a nation allows you to become part of it.
"We are doing well and now after four years I feel like Cyprus is my home. I live well here," the 16-year-old says with a tone of bitterness in her voice as two weeks ago, on March 11, her family received a letter that their asylum application was rejected. "They sent us a letter that our asylum application was not accepted and we will have to reapply in a period of 30 days to be re-evaluated. They are basically kicking us out. After being rejected the first time it is difficult to change anything. The letter states that under European Union law they cannot provide us with security on the island and therefore they cannot give us a stay."
"I feel that my life is being ruined... I do not want and will not go to Congo."
The entire Welo family managed in a short period of time to get back on their feet and overcome huge obstacles with only the help of their strength of soul and their stubbornness. And now everything is falling apart again.
"I feel like my life is being destroyed. I was in the Congo, we left suddenly and had to start from scratch. Now it's the same again. They come and tell us that we will most likely have to leave because they won't accept us here. I don't want to go and I won't go to Congo and neither will the others."
With her classmates and friends as her allies, the 16-year-old will try to stand up again. "My classmates stand by my side and remind me to be strong because life is sometimes hard. I experienced it once. I know how hard it is to leave somewhere "violently". Now it will be even harder for my brothers and sisters."
Through the Cyprus Times, she wanted to send a message to those in power and those who make the decisions to stay on the island. "I would like them to put themselves in our shoes. In mine. I am 16 years old and I am attending school. I learned the language, I made friends. How would they feel if they were in my shoes. Only if they manage to put themselves in our shoes might they understand."
Mariamie wants to study and become a diplomat as she dreams of a world of peace and tranquility Something that so far her life has proven does not exist, however this although it seems utopian is not impossible. What is needed are societies that open their arms to people with values and dignity as the members of the Welo family seem to be.
Mariamie's moving speech before Pope Francis
https:/cyprustimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/migrant-testimony-3.mp4
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Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
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