Nagi and Reem’s love story was put to the test when violence broke out in Sudan. Nagi had to flee the country and was separated from his wife who was living in Newcastle, UK. The couple applied to the UK government for Nagi to move and live with Reem, but his passport and identity documents were with the British Embassy in Sudan when the war erupted. Reem thought that the chances of her husband being allowed to join her were slim. However, thanks to the help of the British charity Goodwill Caravan, Nagi was able to board one of the last evacuation flights out of the country.
A Journey Through Chaos
Nagi’s journey to the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum was perilous. He travelled 800km, spent $700 and went through six or seven checkpoints. When he arrived, he was marked with an X on his hand, signifying that he couldn’t leave the country. Nagi recounted the chaos that has engulfed the country, with a shortage of food, no electricity and dead bodies lying in the streets. There are even reports of dogs ripping at corpses. The situation is so dire that Nagi calls it a ghost town. Businesses have closed, and large populations are running away, with no clear destination or idea of who to turn to.
Finally, Nagi and Reem were reunited at a hotel near Stansted Airport. The couple held each other tightly for more than 40 seconds, with tears turning into chuckles when Nagi talked to their unborn child. “I’m here baby, I’m here,” he said. Despite the hardships they’ve endured, the couple’s love has remained strong, and they are now looking forward to starting a new life together in the UK.
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