Democracy & Justice

Watch: Finnish 'Grandmother' Helps Troubled Toddler Find Peace

A young girl arrives in Finland with her father after fleeing Iraq, still trying to cope with the loss of her mother. In this strange new home, the girl finds an unexpected source of comfort and guidance.

by LibertiesEU
Diana arrived in Finland in October 2015 at the age of two, struggling to deal with the kidnapping and disappearance of her mother in their home city of Baghdad.

She and her father, Azaldeen Kadhem, were among 100 refugees who found a new home on the small island community of Nagu in Finland’s south-west archipelago. There, 80-year-old resident Mona Hemmer took the pair under her wing, becoming a grandmother figure to Diana and helping to bring stability into her new life.

Watch and share this inspiring, uplifting video from the UNHCR – it's proof that if we welcome refugees into our hearts and homes, we will all become happier.

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