Two years ago, Naweed was finally accepted into a foster family in the United Kingdom. Zoe, METAdrasi’s Guardian who had been by his side for months, in his particularly hard times, accompanied him to the airport. Naweed, an unaccompanied child from Afghanistan, with an extremely serious health problem, managed to cross the sea and survived in a camp in Lesvos, was transferred to hospital, then to our accommodation facility, again to hospital and back to our facility in Athens. Predictions regarding his health were not optimistic. Despite the difficulties, the incredibly mature and stoic 13-year-old Naweed, so kind and smiling, was always optimistic. With patience, perseverance and commitment, countless letters and telephone calls, we finally succeeded the impossible and Naweed was accepted in the United Kingdom.
We always had a fear in our hearts. What if the climate deteriorated his fragile health condition? What if his foster family didn’t love him? What if the pessimistic medical predictions came true?
Zoe, his Guardian, continued to communicate with him. Two weeks ago, as soon as a workshop on unaccompanied children she was taking part in Scotland was completed, she got on a train and traveled 400 kilometers to visit Naweed!
“I was so happy to see him, but he too was mad with joy! He is a smiling kid as always and so different at the same time! He has grown up, he attends school, he has made friends, he has a social life like any child at this age. Above all, I was overwhelmed to see that, thanks to the new, specialized medication he is following, his health condition has improved so much, that he is able to enjoy a completely different quality of life! He talked to me about his friends, his foster family, his love for computers and technology – he is saving money to buy a laptop – his dreams for the future. ”
We welcomed Zoe’s words, we all felt a huge relief that the child was well, and all of us who had met him in Greece felt proud of him, looking at his photos. Our little one has grown up so much! The child that managed to defeat all medical opinions, who continues to give us life lessons from the UK!
Read the first post about Naweed and his last days in Athens “When the impossible becomes possible!“
