Layla - Disdained by the asylum authorities

Layla arrived in Greece in her late 50s and, despite her vulnerability, had to wait many months before she was officially admitted to a refugee camp and started the asylum procedure. After two failed asylum applications, Layla applied a third time and revealed an important part of her story: that she had also been a victim of human trafficking in Turkey, a traumatic event she hadn’t been able to disclose before. Despite the evidence, she was rejected a third time and she complains of disdainful behaviour by asylum officials. At 65, Layla is determined to make a fresh start. Between volunteering at a women’s shelter, learning English and Greek, and enrolling in a sewing course, she is doing much to integrate in Greece. But after six years of struggle, she remains in legal limbo, while her mental and physical health deteriorates.