Bosnian Neira motivates Ukrainian refugees: “When I see you, I see myself”

The two-hour long reflection of her own past moves her. When the presentation at the Martinus College is over, Neira breaks. “When I see you, I see myself,” she says emotionally to the twenty students in the room.

Thirty years ago, Neira fled with her family from Sarajevo to the Netherlands. Far from the bullets, away from the war. She ended up in Grootebroek and moved to Hoorn a year later. She obtained her VWO diploma and now works at the Free University in Amsterdam and as an interpreter. At the invitation of Antoine Reijns of the Martinus College – who met her at the Oscar Romero – she gave a presentation to Ukrainian children who have to go through the same thing.

Only hope is stronger than fear, appears on the board during the presentation. “The future for these children is very uncertain. They don’t know whether they will go home or stay here,” says Neira. “I try to motivate the students. To show them that there are many possibilities here. That they can chase their dreams, also in the Netherlands.”

Ola (18) has been in the Netherlands for a year now and already speaks Dutch quite well. “Sometimes it is difficult to be busy with school. Then you think a lot about the war, about home. But talking to friends helps with that. I would like to become a doctor myself or maybe study chemistry.” She listened carefully to Neira. “I want to do everything I can to make my dreams come true.”

Neira herself was 10 years old when she arrived in the Netherlands. The Balkan war has made her stronger, she says. “Once you have been through a war and you come out of it strong, nothing or no one can make you small anymore. A war is one of the worst things you can imagine. You have nothing left and you have to start from scratch again. If you you can do that, then you can handle anything.”

In the two-hour lesson, she not only talked about her own past, but also challenged the students to name their own talents. To look so consciously to the future, wherever it will take place. “It’s important to grab every opportunity you get with both hands. I hope these kids will do the same.”