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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/13/former-child-refugee-tracks-down-camp-worker-who-gave-her-a-bike
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Former child refugee tracks down aid worker who gave her a bike | |
(32 minutes later) | |
A former child refugee is to meet the camp worker who gave her a bike, after her online callout to find the man who brought her joy went viral. | A former child refugee is to meet the camp worker who gave her a bike, after her online callout to find the man who brought her joy went viral. |
Mevan Babakar, 29, lived in a refugee camp in the Netherlands after she and her parents fled the Gulf war in the 1990s. On Monday, she posted a photograph of the former camp worker on Twitter, and asked if anyone could tell her his name. | Mevan Babakar, 29, lived in a refugee camp in the Netherlands after she and her parents fled the Gulf war in the 1990s. On Monday, she posted a photograph of the former camp worker on Twitter, and asked if anyone could tell her his name. |
“This man, who worked at a refugee camp near Zwolle in the Netherlands, out of the kindness of his own heart bought me a bike. My five-year-old heart exploded with joy,” she said. | “This man, who worked at a refugee camp near Zwolle in the Netherlands, out of the kindness of his own heart bought me a bike. My five-year-old heart exploded with joy,” she said. |
The tweet was shared more than 7,000 times in 24 hours, leading her to find the man and other refugees he had helped. | |
Babakar, who now lives in London, will thank the man in person. She told the BBC that he now lives in Germany. | Babakar, who now lives in London, will thank the man in person. She told the BBC that he now lives in Germany. |
She tweeted: “Was asked what I’d do if I found him. Honestly I’d cry my eyes out. There was so much hardship at that point in our lives and this was such a generous act, it taught me kindness can exist everywhere, no matter how terrible it may seem.” | She tweeted: “Was asked what I’d do if I found him. Honestly I’d cry my eyes out. There was so much hardship at that point in our lives and this was such a generous act, it taught me kindness can exist everywhere, no matter how terrible it may seem.” |
Babakar said another camp worker, Sandra, whom she credits with helping her to use a computer for the first time, also got in touch after seeing the tweet. She said: “I’ve also had other refugees reach out to me and tell me that him and his wife helped them too. Their kindness has touched so many lives.” | |
Her family, who are Kurdish, travelled through Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia before spending a year at the camp near Zwolle between 1994 and 1995. They eventually moved to London, where they settled. | |
Gulala Rashid, Babakar’s mother, told the Dutch website Destentor that the man had gifted her daughter a “beautiful, red, shiny bike” after inviting the family for Christmas at his own home. | Gulala Rashid, Babakar’s mother, told the Dutch website Destentor that the man had gifted her daughter a “beautiful, red, shiny bike” after inviting the family for Christmas at his own home. |
Babakar, a fact checker, is currently on a sabbatical from work while she retraces her refugee journey. | Babakar, a fact checker, is currently on a sabbatical from work while she retraces her refugee journey. |
Refugees | Refugees |
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Europe | Europe |
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