“People need to know what I’ve been through. They think we’re here for the money.
I fled because it wasn’t safe in my country. Telling your story can sometimes be difficult. All the memories came flooding back. I found it painful, but I have to tell the truth. I’m not a freeloader.
I shared my story with a group of other young people in the museum project called Me, Myself & Belgium. We got a lot of support from each other. We became a kind of family. We also did fun things together.
In the photography workshop, I discovered a new hobby. I now take photos at weddings and baptisms. I also gave guided tours of the museum. It was good to feel that people were really interested. The fact that I couldn’t speak perfect Dutch wasn’t important. I have set a good example.”
Henos fled to Belgium from Eritrea and shared his story with the museum in 2018.
Henos contribution to the museum
Henos wrote down his story, in English and Dutch, in a homemade booklet for the Me, Myself & Belgium project.
On the cover of the booklet, Henos wrote his name, also in Tigrinya. In addition to his story, the book contains photos of Henos and drawings by Lia Weinman.
Book by Henos Desbele about seeking refuge and 'coming home.
