In the Name of God

Essay 489 • Nov 14th 2021

Life under a violent regime (and the continued displacement most Afghans experience as a result of the military actions and violence) bring many citizens, especially women and girls, to flee Afghanistan all the way to Europe. They travel in order to restore basic human security and a worthy future for themselves and for their children.

Every year, thousands of Afghan women arrive at the biggest refugee camp located on the Greek island of Lesbos, after a long and dangerous journey that usually goes through Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Greece. Crowded in dinghy boats and endangering the lives of their children - they run away from the impossible struggle in their country and end up in an ongoing struggle of a different kind. But a sense of security seems to be worth the effort, even if it means living without a home.

I arrived on the island of Lesbos, not long after Moria camp had completely burned down and thousands of refugees were left homeless. I met many brave women and young girls after they went through another crisis. ‘In the Name of God’ brings their stories.










 

Ofir Berman is an Israeli documentary photographer and visual storyteller whose work focuses on social and cultural issues. Her work gives an intimate view of people living within the fringes of society and aims to capture the resilience and the authentic spirit in the lives of the subjects. In 2020 she finished her studies in Madrid and continued to work on personal projects. Recently she has been documenting Palestinian refugees from Gaza with the intention of provoking discourse and a new vision of Palestinian-Israeli relations through photography, media, and a new perception of interpersonal communication. In 2021 she was chosen for the 30 under 30 women photographers by Artpil and was nominated for the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award.
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