Living in temporary shelters or apartments around Germany, hundreds of thousands of young Syrian refugees are waiting to find a job, go to school and resume their day-to-day activities which have been disrupted by war. Young volunteers across the countries have signed up to help them settle into their new country. These are some of their stories

I was working as a software developer in Dubai when the Syrian consulate refused to renew my passport and said I had to either join the military in Syria or pay USD 8,000. I didn’t have the money so my brother and I decided to leave. Germany is great for education. I am studying the German language and plan togo to college to study programming.

Sam Kurabatak, 22, Syrian refugee in Augsburg

My wife and 3-year-old son are living in Saudi Arabia. It’s too dangerous for them to travel to Germany so I am waiting for my papers confirming my refugee status. Then I can get permission to bring my wife and son. I hope to offer my son the opportunity to go to school and to have a better life.

Bader Houari, 32, Syrian refugee in Augsburg

I am a Palestinian refugee. In Germany, they don’t recognize Palestinian citizenship so my ID says “no citizenship”. Here, I am taking vocational training courses because I want to work as a hairdresser or a make-up artist.

Abdel Rahman, 19, Syrian refugee in Augsburg

I moved here because of the war and because there was no hope anymore in Syria. Even in the neighboring countries I couldn’t send my children to school because I had no money. I am divorced and am taking care of my two children on my own. Now they can go to school and they are happy.

Yasmin KanhashKhedr, 28, Syrian refugee in Augsburg

When the revolution began, I was studying literature in Aleppo (Syria). Now, I work as a journalist in Germany and run a radio programme for refugees. My radio show focuses on the problems refugees face, tells their stories, and gives information about opportunities in Germany. I hope to go back to university to study politics.

Ameen Nasir, 24, Syrian refugee in Munich

My duty is to stand at the main station and distribute bananas, coffee and bread to our guests. I will remember this as one of the most gratifying moments in my life.

Katreen, Youth Volunteer helping refugees in Rostock (requested anonymity for security reasons)

I have been in Germany for nearly two months now and I have met so many nice people. Even when people don’t understand my language, they try to help. My point of view about humanity has changed drastically and I have learnt to respect people for who they are. I just want to get on with life and have a decent education. I want to see my family again.

Alayn Badari, 26, Syrian Refugee in Rostock

When we think of war, we tend to think of large scale devastation and the more overt consequences. However, coordinating the efforts of the refugee camps has given me a glimpse of the real damage done. Loss of privacy, walking across forests with sick children, waiting for food are more harmful for a human soul than one can express.

Reshma Houari, Coordinator Refugee Camp, Rostock

There was a train from Italy to Munich and I took it. It’s really strange how one moment decides your life. Here in Germany it has been really stressful thinking about my family and my future. But now I can finally rent an apartment and study, and I am attached to Munich.

Karmel Zarzar, 24, Syrian refugee in Munich

My mother is a pharmacist and my father is a civil engineer. My parents have invested a lot into the education of their four children. I am an engineer and had the privilege of private education in Syria, which is why I can speak English.  I did not want to leave Syria but my parents panicked after my 20-year-old cousin died in bomb shelling at the basketball court. Even if I didn’t die in the shelling, I would have been compulsorily recruited in the army where I would have to kill people, my own people.

Nour El Sadat, 24, Syrian Refugee in Rostock