Bishara loves Hassan and Hassan loves Bishara

But between them lie 6000 kilometres, asylum laws, and ‘ Somali Culture’.

They have not seen each other for over 5 years. Both originally from Somalia, they fell in love when Hassan was already on his way from Uganda to Europe as a migrant crossing the Mediterranean like so many others. Ever since then their love consists of telephone calls, chats and thousands of Whats app messages.

In Kampala, Bishara lives with three of her sisters, her mother and grandmother in Kisenyi, a neighbourhood in Kampala, nicknamed 'Little Mogadishu'. Their flat is small and rather dark. Bishara works as a cashier in a gas station, she makes 150 USD per month for 12 hours of work every day. She wants to be a journalist, or even better an anchorwoman on TV. Hassan is enrolled in an apprenticeship as a painter, staying in a small flat in Bavarian village.

Marriage is their only legal way to be together.

Marriage is expensive, especially in Somalia.

-How much do you need for your dream wedding, Hassan?
-20.000 USD.
-How much do you have?
-Not enough.