So far, we have deliberately avoided telling the personal stories of the people we have matched to German municipalities and supported in their relocation as part of our Re:Match project. Our focus has been on ensuring that people arrive safely after an uncertain period of flight. In our opinion, this includes dealing sensitively with personal experiences of flight and understanding that there are also many challenges to overcome after arriving in Germany. We are therefore all the more pleased that a family that was matched with Düsseldorf this year has independently offered to write down and share their story.
I am the mother of three children, my two sons (13 and 10) and my daughter (7). We fled to Poland after the war started. My daughter is ill, she has an autoimmune disease. My younger son has Down's syndrome and related illnesses. When the war started, there was no more medication for my daughter, so we had to leave. We lived in Poland for a year and a half, but even here my children couldn't get the medical care they needed. At a certain point, support for housing costs was stopped and a mother with three children could not afford to raise the 1000 euros now needed for accommodation herself. I spoke to my counsellor from Habitat, who had helped us find housing in Poland, and she pointed me towards Re:Match.
I contacted the project and received a reply informing me of an online conference in which the Re:Match team would explain everything there is to know about relocating to Germany via matching. The conference was very informative and intensive. We all had the opportunity to ask questions about participating in the project.
There was a lot to understand, but I quickly realised that I wanted to take part with my children. In order to support Re:Match in its further development, I also decided to take part in a focus group and was given the opportunity to talk about the needs of families seeking protection like mine. My daughter attended the focus group meeting and drew a rainbow house and a unicorn. She presented the drawings to the Re:Match project coordinator and said to me: "Mum, I want to celebrate my next birthday in my new house!".
After deciding that my family would like to participate in Re:Match, I was invited to a personal interview to find out our details and preferences for matching. The interview was very helpful, the questions were detailed and explanatory so that I could make informed priorities. I really wanted it to work out!!! Waiting for the match result was difficult.
Then came the long-awaited news that the algorithm had calculated a match for us, that there was capacity for us and that we would now be supported in relocating to Germany - to one of the coolest countries in the world in terms of medicine and society! And very cosmopolitan.
I confirmed the match and forwarded all our documents so that the Re;Match team could share them with "our" city in preparation for our arrival. I packed our things and gave my friends instructions on when to send the things we couldn't take with us straight away.
The Re:Match team organised everything perfectly. I received detailed instructions for the move, tickets, travel plans and addresses. This was a great help, especially as I was travelling alone with 3 children, 2 suitcases and 3 bags - the most necessary things and food for 4 people for the journey.
There were a few unplanned stops on the journey due to heavy rain. Fortunately, we still managed to catch the connecting train in Berlin to Düsseldorf, our destination. Once we were there, we followed the directions to a hotel that we had received from the Re:Match team. We were met there by a member of staff from the city. Our introduction at the Office for Migration and Integration was as quick and uncomplicated as everything had been so far. Now we are waiting for the next steps. It's incredible how efficienly and well coordinated the Re:Match team works together with the city administration.
The great thing about this fantastic Re:Match team is that they do what they say they will do. That's very impressive and makes you feel good in a difficult personal situation. With the Relocation via Matching, they have given us a ticket to a new life. I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own, even though the relocation was so important for my family.
I hug everyone and am very grateful!!! We are very happy to have participated in Re:Match and now to be able to gain a foothold in Düsseldorf.
