Tiger Nest Films went to visit some of the people featured in No Stranger Place and made these beautiful short films.
Eritrean gentleman finds refuge in Birmingham, UK
Birmingham couple Hilary and Jim Parle decided to offer to host refugees after hearing the tragic story of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, whose body was washed up on a beach in Turkey in 2015.
“We saw the picture of the toddler lying face down on the beach and that was it,” Hilary said. “We had to do something to help.”
“They are like my brother and sister,” Yonasskindis says. “They are very good people. I am diabetic with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I have to take five tablets each day. If it wasn’t for them I would be on the street.”
Find out more about Yonasskindis, Hilary and Jim
Jewish family open Berlin home to Muslim refugee
Every week, the Jellinek family gathers for a Shabbat dinner in their central Berlin home. Chaim, his wife Kyra and three of their four children sit around a candle-lit table to recite blessings over wine and good food.
This year, their weekly tradition has included an unlikely guest. Twenty-eight-year old Kinan, a Syrian Muslim, has been living with the Jellineks since November 2015. He joins them for Shabbat most Fridays and often cooks Syrian meals that he has learned to make by watching videos on YouTube.
“Integration is not one-sided work,” Chaim said. ”Integration is not something that we should only ask from people coming into our country. We should ask this of ourselves too. We must accept different food, different culture, behaviour. It’s a process from both sides.”
Find out more about Kinan and the Jellineks
Architect helps Syrian trio build new life in Sweden
Architect Lars Jim Asklund was deeply moved by the images on television of thousands of people arriving in Sweden in 2015. He wanted to help, but did not know how. He went to a nearby asylum centre where new arrivals were being processed – next thing, he was inviting Syrian refugee Farah Hilal, her husband Milad and brother Waleed, to live with him in his home in Malmö.
“He gave us a set of keys,” said Milad. “The minute we closed the door to our room we were so relieved – Farah started crying from joy. We could finally settle some place.”
“For me it’s fun,” said Lars. “It’s fantastic – I have new friends and I really like them.”
Find out more about Lars, Fara, Waleed and Milad
Austrian couple make Syrian guest “part of the family”
Nawras, who played basketball for the Syrian national team before becoming a refugee, has found a new home in Bad Schallerbach, Austria. When they go shopping in the small Austrian town, Martina Schamberger introduces Nawras Ahmadook as her son.
“I feel like he is my son,” said Martina with pride. “He accepts me, a bit different than his mother. He opens up to me a lot, like a friend too. We have been together seven months now and never had a big fight.”
Find out more about the Schambergers and Nawras