Marzieh Kheir Khah was completely alone when she set foot on Swedish soil for the first time. She had been forced to separate from her family when they fled from Iran. The year was 2015.

The escape is painful, long and uncertain in the hands of the people smugglers. They take Marzieh and her family through Iran and Türkiye, after which the journey continues by boat to Greece and on through Europe. The fear of being discovered by police officers who don t hesitate to abuse and kill refugees is ever-present, as is hunger, thirst and fatigue. This is a story that spans vast geographical areas, but it is also the story of a young woman s inner journey, in which she must quickly learn to be strongfor her family.

"Marzieh is one of the many young people who ve been forced to flee and who ve come to Sweden without their parents. I ve been deeply moved by what she s been forced to experience, as well as by her talent and her commitment to a better world. That s why I asked her if she wanted to write her story down, even though it would be painful and difficult. As a publisher, we want to do everything we can to help a young woman s testimony gain wider attention. We hope, like Marzieh, that her story might inspire others with similar experiences to help them cope and find the courage to share their stories." Susanne Hamilton, Bokförlaget Langenskiöld

Marzieh Kheir Khah s words convey the powerful emotions of a long journey from Afghanistan and Iran to Europe in the midst of the refugee crisis. Marzieh gives us all the details that make up the everyday life of a typical refugee. A refugee faces death countless times and a lot of them perish. The words come from Marzieh s heart as she captures the vivid details of this amazing story of sacrifice, struggle and hardship.

Marzieh Kheir Khah was born in 1996 in Jawzjan, Afghanistan and came to Sweden in 2015. Today she lives in Stockholm and works as a coordinator at Mentor Sweden. Marzieh studies part-time alongside her job. Marzieh has a great interest in film and filmmaking and in the future she wants to focus on her education.