A father's fight to provide for his family

Emmanuel sits quietly in the corner of a very small refugee housing facility in Bavaria, Germany watching, his 5 month-old daughter Mary crawling near the window looking for her bottle. Once a student in his home country of Nigeria, 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 governmental assistance.

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

This statement is one that many refugees, stuck in Germany's immigration system, would agree is a true reality. Emmanuel was one of the many young refugee men that protested to leave the Bavarian detention center in Furstenfeldbruck, a small secluded town in Munich's metropolitan area, where several human rights violations were said to be a continuous theme. This included starvation and racially motivated violence at the hands of detention guards.

"We fought to get out of there. It was like hell, especially for the men."

After a treacherous fight, Emmanuel and his small family were transferred to a small room in an apartment complex, which they shared with other asylum seekers. Today, 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, alongside his wife and his daughter, who cannot yet believe but exudes hope in her bright eyes.

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