Idea for this project titled ‘Home Is’ was born in 2020 when I was studying documentary and photojournalism in South Africa for a year. Just three months into my studies, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and I found myself stuck there for a year due to quarantines and travel restrictions. The global pandemic, which led to long periods of isolation and uncertainty, made me think about people who don’t have the luxury of choice, those who are forced to leave their homes and families behind due to conflict or other circumstances, and who may never be able to return. I began to see parallels between my experience and that of refugees. Although I was not displaced by war, I felt a sense of rootlessness and longing for home. This realisation sparked my interest in telling the stories of refugee women. I wanted to explore the experiences of women from different countires, who had been forced to leave everything behind—often enduring unimaginable hardships—just to survive.
As a photographer, I am deeply drawn to social and environmental issues, particularly those involving women, migration and marginalised communities. I strive to use my work to amplify the voices of those who are often overlooked, while exploring how identity, culture and resilience shape human experiences in the face of adversity.
‘Home Is’ focuses on refugee women from Sudan (North and South), Ethiopia and Yemen. They are often divorced or widowed, and their resilience in the face of war and displacement is remarkable. During the pandemic, their struggles became even more pronounced as they navigated new challenges: living far from family, adapting to a foreign language and culture, facing loneliness and trying to build a sense of home in a new environment.
I spent a month with each woman, listening to her story and immersing myself in her life. After meeting many women, I selected those whose stories and experiences were unique and representative of their respective countries.
My aim was to create images that told the story of their lives. I chose moments that reflected their struggles and emotions, making each photograph a window into their world.
The photographs highlight the ongoing inner battle that these women face—the war within themselves as they navigate the loss of their homes and the process of rebuilding their lives in exile. They explore the question: will these women ever truly feel at home in their new communities?
Text & Photographs by Fatma Fahmy
Such a Long Wait: Arafaat, 27, from Ethiopia, left her country and moved to Egypt with her husband when she was four months pregnant. Both of them had to leave their families behind. Due to widespread political persecution, Arafaat’s husband disappeared in 2019. She looked for him throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but he didn’t come home until recently
Portrait of Zaidi on the mirror inside her house in Egypt.
Zaidi wrote a letter to her daughter during the pandemic
A Mother’s Anguish: Elham Zaidi, 46, from the south of Yemen, has two sons and a daughter. Both her sons needed medical attention so she travelled to Egypt, leaving her daughter with her aunt. Later, her daughter went missing and Zaidi feared she may have died. She then received word from the Red Crescent that her daughter was alive, but that she couldn’t see her due to Covid. A distraught Zaidi does nothing but worry about the future and her daughter.
