On a cold October day in the heart of Belgrade, Serbia, a small crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of Ariana Yummy, a restaurant offering authentic Afghan cuisine run by Kochai and his family.

Kochai’s journey from Afghanistan to Serbia began in 2016 when he left his homeland in search of safety and of a new beginning for himself and his family. After traversing the Western Balkan migration route, he ultimately found refuge in Serbia, where he was granted refugee status.

Being located on the external borders of the European Union, Serbia has long been a key waypoint along the Western Balkans migration route, the largest land route for migrants in Europe. However, Serbian civil society organisations face significant challenges in meeting the needs of those arriving along the Balkan route. They also struggle to create an environment that encourages migrants to settle and establish new lives in Serbia.

In Serbia, Kochai, worked as a translator and cultural mediator for various non-governmental organisations before joining JRS Serbia in 2017. Speaking seven languages – Pashto, Farsi, English, Russian, Swedish, Azerbaijani, and Serbian – Kochai became a bridge between cultures, helping countless people navigate the challenges and uncertainties of life in a new country.

Despite his dedication and willingness to help newcomers settle in Serbia, his desire was to reunite with his loved ones and open their family business.

In 2020, Kochai took a significant step towards reuniting with his family. After a lengthy and challenging process, his wife and five children from Afghanistan finally arrived in Serbia. The children quickly adapted to their new surroundings, enrolling in school where they learned Serbian and made new friends. 

“Thank God, the hardest part is over. I have five children who were in Afghanistan, and when they arrived, learning the language was a real challenge. They started with online lessons, then moved on to private lessons, and eventually a colleague came twice a week. Slowly, they began to learn Serbian,” said Kochai. 

Once settled into this new chapter, he and his family turned their dreams into reality. They opened a family restaurant in Belgrade, sharing the rich culinary heritage of Afghanistan with their new community.  

*JRS Serbia accompanies refugees arriving in the country, providing them with emergency assistance, psychosocial support, and education. The opening of the restaurant was supported by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and JRS.