Obaidullah’s Journey: “We left our country because of the war”

Tell us a little about yourself and your departure from Afghanistan.

Hello, my name is Obaidullah. I am 18 years old, born on September 6, 2006, in Kunduz, Afghanistan. In May 2019, I left home with my older brother to come to France. At the time, I was 13 years old. We left our country because of the war. We didn’t necessarily want to come to France but simply wanted to find a peaceful country where we could have a better future. We were told that France was a wonderful country. I arrived in France in September 2019.

How was your arrival in France?

It was very complicated for me, and I didn’t know what to do. I was on the road for two or three days before being taken in by the Paris police. I didn’t speak French at all, and it was thanks to an Afghan translator that I was able to explain my situation—who I was and where I came from. After a seven-hour interview, I was taken into care by the Children’s Home.

At first, I was very sad because I was alone and didn’t know anyone. Then I met another Afghan my age who had left for the same reasons as me. The Children’s Home helped us enroll in school and plan for our future.

I attended Évire Middle School in Annecy, where I was in the 8th grade. I couldn’t speak or write in French. I didn’t have friends or know anyone because I didn’t know how to speak French or what to say.

How did you learn French?

Thanks to the school and Guillemette, from Lake Aid, who helped me a lot, I was able to learn French. I’ve known Guillemette since 2020, and she really helped me learn to read and write in French. Thanks to her, I started to make progress in class.

What have you accomplished since then?

I went on to pursue a vocational diploma (CAP) in auto bodywork at Gordini High School. At first, I couldn’t work in a garage because I didn’t have an ID card. I applied for asylum to get legal documents. I received a 10-year residency card, which made me very happy and motivated me even more. I then applied for French nationality at the court, and my request was accepted. I finally received my French identity card. Today, I am French, just like any other French citizen.

At the same time, I earned my auto bodywork diploma. Now, I work at a great garage in Annecy, BMW Carrosserie Parmelain. I’m really proud of myself, and I’m grateful to all the charities that helped me, thanks to whom I’ve been able to move forward in my life.