Mohammed Alburai: Born in a refugee camp in Gaza, he became a double refugee when he sought safety for his family in Slovenia. Now he helps other refugees for the Slovenian Red Cross.
Born in the Deir El-Balah refugee camp in Gaza, Mohammed Alburai worked as a volunteer ambulance driver for the Palestine Red Crescent before leaving for Slovenia in 2019. Now a cultural mediator and translator for the Slovenian Red Cross, Mohammed helps migrants and refugees cope with their new life in Slovenia. He helps migrants connect with lost family members, organizes sports and social events, and talks with them about their needs and concerns. “That’s the best part in my job,” he says. “I meet people from different cultures every day — from Cuba, Bangladesh, Mongolia, all over Africa and the Middle East. They know I feel what they are going through and they trust me.” Mohammed also talks about his friends and former colleagues at the Palestinian Red Crescent who have died in the line of duty and he pays tribute to all Red Cross and Red Crescent staff who have been killed while working to save others.