From Baghdad to Columbus: An Iraqi Refugee Family’s Journey to Safety and New Beginnings
After years of war, displacement, and hardship in Turkey, Odai and Nihad Al Faris find peace and purpose in their new life in Ohio.
For Iraqi refugee Odai Al Faris, life in Turkey was a daily struggle for survival. Iraqis living there are not officially granted refugee status, which means they cannot legally work or earn money. For Odai, his wife Nihad Mohammed, and their two young children, these restrictions made life nearly impossible during the year they spent in Turkey before being resettled in the United States.
Today, the Al Faris family calls Columbus, Ohio home. Odai works at Walmart, while Nihad has found a position at a local daycare center. Their children, now seven and ten, attend school and speak fluent English — often more confidently than their parents. “Sometimes I don’t understand my daughter when she brings home new English words,” Odai laughs, proud yet humbled by their progress.
From Baghdad’s Chaos to a Search for Safety in Turkey
Their story begins in Baghdad, where Odai once served in the Iraqi military. After attempting to escape mandatory service, he was captured, tried, and sentenced to six years in prison. Upon his release in March 2000, he married Nihad and tried to rebuild his life. The couple worked hard — Odai as a driver and cell phone shop assistant, and Nihad at a hair salon. Yet “normal life” in Baghdad meant hearing about daily car bombings or losing neighbors to terrorist attacks.
Everything changed when a car bomb exploded outside their home, injuring their young son with shrapnel. That terrifying moment convinced the couple that Iraq’s instability would never end — it was time to leave.
In 2011, the family fled to Turkey, seeking safety and the hope of refugee resettlement. But life there brought its own challenges. They lived in a cramped two-bedroom apartment shared by ten people and were quickly running out of savings due to medical expenses. Because of Turkish restrictions, they couldn’t work legally — though Odai occasionally found under-the-table jobs making mulch, risking heavy fines if caught.
From War to Peace: The Al Faris Family Finds Home in Columbus
Still, Odai tried to bring hope and culture into their lives. He formed a traditional Iraqi dance troupe after spotting an empty stage during his Turkish language classes. He played the drum while his sister and her friends danced — even performing for senior Turkish officials. Yet despite the group’s success, the family never earned a cent from their shows.
Finally, the Al Faris family was approved for resettlement in the United States. They chose Columbus for its safety and strong sense of community. “Life here is peaceful,” Odai says. “The schools, the healthcare — everything is better. Even the cold winters can’t take that away.”
For the first time in years, Odai says he sleeps without fear. “When I put my head down at night, I feel calm. I can think about my children’s future instead of our survival.”
From Baghdad’s war-torn streets to a quiet life in Columbus, the Al Faris family’s journey embodies resilience, hope, and the promise of a new beginning — proof that even after years of loss, home can be found again.
