“Fleeing from violence in my home country, we bought the cheapest flight ticket we could find, hoping for a better future.”

My name is Aya, and my life has been a journey of resilience and courage. I was once a young Moroccan woman, full of life and hope, with a law degree and fluency in Arabic and French. I even taught middle school students. At 22, it seemed like a promising start to adulthood. But life had other plans for me.

My past in Morocco is filled with hardships I prefer not to recall – forced marriage, gender violence, and experiences that still haunt me today.

One day, I was forced to leave everything behind and step into the unknown – I had no plan or preparation, just my small purse, a loving partner, and our unborn child.

“The prejudice was immediate and painful”.

Arriving in Spain was overwhelming. We didn’t know the language or the laws, had no support, and weren’t even aware of state protection programs. As asylum seekers, we faced immense difficulties, but being Moroccan in Spain made things even worse. The prejudice was immediate and painful. With the little savings we had, we rented a temporary place, but the owner soon kicked us out, leaving us on the streets. For 15 days, we washed in beach showers and used restaurant toilets. At this stage, I was seven months pregnant.

Thankfully, someone told us about the asylum process and state protection programs, so we applied. From the streets, we moved into a temporary accommodation provided by the Red Cross, where we waited for our daughter’s birth

In October 2023, we entered the temporary shelter program of Diaconía Benicasim with our 2-month-old baby. We finally had a safe place to stay, but adjusting to life in a shelter, living with other families, and navigating cultural differences was not easy.

From the start, it became clear to me that learning Spanish was essential. I worked hard, attending classes and practicing at home every day. Within a few months, I was speaking fluently, which helped me integrate. However, my journey in Spain was not free from challenges. I faced episodes of racism and discrimination that affected me deeply, causing anxiety, mood swings, and even health problems.

“Moroccan girls don’t know how to clean.”

When it came to employment, I participated actively in the employment programs, attending tutoring sessions and one-on-one meetings to improve my chances. My dream was to work as an administrative assistant, so I completed a course in that field. However, when I couldn’t find opportunities, I had to focus on any job that could provide me with stability. I worked as a cleaner and in restaurant kitchens, enduring long hours, low wages, and discrimination. I was fired from one job after a customer humiliated me, saying, “Moroccan girls don’t know how to clean.”

Despite these experiences, I never gave up. Today, I work as a kitchen assistant at a well-known company in Castellón. It provides financial stability for my family, but I still hold onto my dream of becoming an administrative assistant and, one day, a teacher, as I was in my home country.

My time in Diaconía’s program, from October 2023 to November 2024, has been both challenging and a testament to my perseverance. With the support of the entire team, I continue to work towards improving my employment situation and building the future I dream of. But in Spain, the challenges are plentiful. Companies often take advantage of young professionals, offering unpaid internships and then firing them after the trial period. It’s common practice here, making it extremely difficult to find a job.

Still, I refuse to give up. I continue to learn, improve my language skills, and develop my professional abilities while working in unskilled jobs to support my family. My husband and I take turns caring for our daughter—when one of us works or studies, the other looks after her. Our mutual support, along with the help we receive from the Diaconía team, gives me the strength to keep going.

I know my journey is far from over, but I believe in my dreams and my ability to achieve them. My story is one of perseverance, and I will continue to fight for the future I envision for myself and my family.

This story was collected in collaboration with Diaconia España (Spain). Photography by Yulia Dobrynina.