A father's fight to provide for his family

Emmanuel sits quietly in the corner of a very small refugee housing facility in Bavaria, watching his 5 month-old daughter Mary crawling near the window. Once a student in his home country, he now lives in Germany with his wife and child, struggling to navigate a new society that often feels overwhelming—and, at times, indifferent. Since arriving two years ago, Emmanuel has been unable to find steady work, leaving him dependent on sporadic day labor and government assistance.

“I want to provide for my family,” he says, eyes fixed on Mary. “But some days I feel invisible in German society, like I’m standing in a room where no one can see me.”

The pressure weighs on him heavily. At night, when the walls feel too tight and the uncertainty presses hardest, he admits he sometimes imagines running away—back to a place where he at least understood the rules of survival. But the thought passes as quickly as it comes. “I could never leave my family,” he says. “Mary deserves stability, even if I’m still trying to find my own.”

Despite the challenges, Emmanuel continues to push for a better future, attending language classes, applying for jobs, and seeking any opportunity that might allow his family to stand on their own. For now, survival is a daily task, but hope—shaken but not shattered—remains an anchor for him, his wife, and the daughter who still believes her father can fix anything.

Emmanuel holds his daughter Mary, at night, outside of a shared living facility for refugees. Angelica Ekeke, 2019.