First came an email. Then, a month later, a baby.
Each arrival, in its own way, marked a sharp swerve in the fortunes of a grief-bludgeoned Iraqi family that has spent the past 15 years darting around Europe in a state of legal limbo. Unable to secure asylum, work legally, or call anywhere home.
The Alhashemi family scraped the depths of misery in April 2024. Threatened with imminent deportation from Belgium to Iraq, they attempted to cross the English Channel in a small boat. Their seven-year-old daughter, Sara, died in a suffocating crush onboard – an incident witnessed from a French beach.
A little more than a year later, a life-changing email from an official French refugee agency reached the family at their temporary accommodation in Rouvroy, a quiet town surrounded by World War One memorials.
We know our path now, says Ahmed Alhashemi, 42, scrolling through the email, a small smile breaking across his careworn face.
Ahmed and his wife, Nour, 35, met in Belgium when they were in their 20s, having both fled Iraq. Nour fled because of her family's ties to Saddam Hussein's regime; Ahmed due to alleged death threats from a local militia.
The couple has three children: daughters Rahaf and Sara, and son Hussam. After being denied asylum in multiple European countries, they faced imminent deportation from Sweden before attempting the dangerous Channel crossing.
Following the tragic events and months of bureaucratic struggles, they finally secured their asylum in France. In March 2025, they moved into their own two-bedroom apartment, allowing them to dream of a stable future.
Finally, good fortune smiled upon them when Nour gave birth to Sally, a healthy baby girl. God willing, Sally will be lucky in life, she says, wiping away a tear. The family is ready to embrace their new life, finding joy and hope in their safety and stability.
