1000 dreams

My dream was to have a country where I can live safely

“My dream was to have a country where I can live safely,” says Esam Alesaei (33), from
Yemen. A human rights activist working with HIV-positive refugees in his home country, he describes himself as “a person who was about to be persecuted or maybe killed, detained, put behind the bars, jail.”

He left his family and friends to seek asylum in the UK. “Being away from my family is extremely difficult,” he says. “Some nights I cry and I cry a lot.”

The past also continues to haunt him: “I have nightmares that they caught me and they put me in jail and it's very difficult for me, it's affecting my mental health.” In his new home, where he feels safe, Esam explains how he “coped by keeping busy” and draws strength from meeting new people:

“I know that I'm strong […] I'm capable of handling anything.” Now, his dream “has been changed from the dream of just living to be a positive addition to the UK.” His biggest hope is to “have a good job, start a family here who don't have to be scared.”

Photographer and interview by @omama_zankawan in collaboration with @Witness_Change @1000Dreams