“I struggled a lot, but I’m proud that I didn’t give up”.
Haseeb, 21 years old, Pakistan
Haseeb arrived in Greece alone in 2020, at the age of 16, after fleeing Pakistan. He spent several years in Turkey before eventually crossing into Greece through Evros river. His first months in the country coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, when he stayed in a safe zone in Filippiada and strict restrictions significantly limited everyday life. “We could not go out. We were inside the safe zone with, I think, more than 300 people”, he remembers. “It was like a prison”.
After moving to Athens and eventually being placed in one of The HOME Project shelters, life began to feel different. “It was way better. The staff were good, the food was good, and we had freedom”, he recalls.
For Haseeb, the shelter became a place where he could find stability and people he could turn to. “They helped me a lot. Especially my social worker. She took me to doctors and to the psychologist many times. That was the most important thing for me, knowing that I had people on my side”, he says.
Life in the shelter also gave him space to build relationships and enjoy the everyday experiences of being a teenager: making friends from different countries, playing foosball, going swimming and taking part in creative activities. One memory still stands out. During a period when opportunities to go out were limited, the team organized a party inside the shelter. “A lot of people came, the staff were there, and we all danced together”.
After turning 18, Haseeb began working in different kitchens and gradually discovered how much he enjoyed cooking. He learned through experience, often starting from scratch. “When I started, I did not even know how to cut properly”, he recalls. At one restaurant, his colleagues began teaching him the craft. He bought his own knife and uniform and kept learning.
Today, Haseeb works as a commis chef at a five-star hotel near Athens International Airport. “Now I have experience. I can work in the hot section, the cold section, make different dressings. I know how a five-star restaurant operates and I can appreciate teamwork”. That experience has also given him something he values deeply: independence. He now earns his own income, pays his rent and lives with his fiancée in Athens. “Now I’m in a better position. I work, I have my own place”.
Alongside his work, Haseeb is investing in his education. With support from The HOME Project, he secured a scholarship to study Business Administration at University of the People (UoPeople). While cooking remains his passion, he sees his degree as a way to broaden his skills and create more possibilities for the future. “It could help me work in bigger restaurants, bigger hotels, in better positions. I believe I can combine my studies with my cooking experience”.
Thinking back to the 16-year-old who first arrived in Greece, he says: “I struggled a lot, but I’m proud that I didn’t give up”.