Yousouf – Togo

Yousouf is originally from Togo. He came to Germany in 2001 and was sent to Rostock in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern after applying for asylum. Four years later, like many other asylum seekers, he received a negative decision.

During these 4 years he had tried to get a work permit. He was not allowed to go to school and learn the German language or to leave the asylum camp where he was held. In 2005, he was granted a toleration. The pressure from the foreigners authority was very hard on him and after some time he became seriously ill. In 2017, when he had already almost finished with life, he finally received his residence permit.

Yousouf came to Berlin with a friend in November 2018 to renew his passport and had since disappeared. Three weeks later we found him in a Berlin hospital, he was in a coma. From there he was then transferred to a hospital in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Yousouf stayed in this hospital where he lost not only his appetite but also his ability to speak. He never left the hospital and died there on 01 October 2021.