<div>Hi friends,

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<div>I’ve reached an end. 

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<div>My name is Rakan. Many of you know me through my art and community work. I am a Watermelon refugee currently living in Dresden, Germany. What most people don’t see is my reality, because I’ve learned to mask it well. Staying in the background often hurts less than explaining everything. And being a DJ, everyone thinks you’ve made it in life. But ppl like me don’t get to be choosy.

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<div>People ask me where I’ve been, and I usually say I’m in Dresden, focusing on my art. The truth is harder. I’ve been struggling with my mental health for a long time, and the financial pressure has made it significantly worse. I’m usually someone who stays positive and keeps going, but right now I’m exhausted, and I don’t see a clear way out.

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<div>Being a Watermelon refugee places me in a different legal and structural position than many other refugees. Because Pal… is not formally recognized as a state by Germany, Watermelon ppl are often denied a clear, stable refugee status and the rights that come with it. This affects access to work, insurance, long-term residency security, and institutional support. My situation has been shaped by this reality from the beginning. Opportunities available to other refugee groups were often inaccessible to me, and I had to navigate a system where uncertainty was built into every step.

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<div>When I arrived in Germany, I was placed by the authorities in a refugee camp in Dresden. Living there was harsh and destabilizing, but I worked relentlessly to move forward and build a life outside the camp system. Over the last five years, I applied for more than 50 jobs, accepted every possible gig, and did everything in my power to survive with dignity while contributing to the cultural and community life around me.

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<div>Despite these efforts, my situation has continued to deteriorate. Living in Dresden under constant legal uncertainty, combined with limited access to stable work and repeated administrative pressure, has led to accumulated debt and declining health.

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<div>This year is different from the last. Alongside the financial collapse, I have developed chronic health conditions. My immune system has weakened significantly, and I am dealing with persistent viral infections that affect my nervous system. These are not short-term illnesses; they are conditions I will likely have to live with long-term. Managing them requires medical care and mental-health therapy, which I am increasingly unable to afford.

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<div>What hurts me most is that I keep lying to my mother. I tell her I’m doing well. I tell her I’m working, that I’m stable, that I’m sending money. None of that is true. I am far away from her; from her touch, her presence, her care. Watching her grow older from a distance, knowing I can’t be there for her, feels like being uprooted again and again. That separation has been one of the heaviest parts of this journey.

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<div>At this moment, the reality is binary:

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<div>Either I raise €25,000 to settle my accumulated obligations, or I will lose my legal footing in Germany and be forced to return to a refugee camp in Lebanon.

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<div>This amount reflects existing, documented debt that continues to grow monthly due to penalties, restricted banking access, and lack of institutional protection.

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<div>Breakdown of the €30,000

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<div>•	€10,200 — accumulated legal and administrative debt related to residency and ongoing procedures

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<div>•	€2,600 — unpaid statutory health insurance contributions (I am currently uninsured)

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<div>•	€2,100 — outstanding apartment-related fees in Dresden

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<div>•	Approximately €9,000 — additional debt accumulated since April 2024 (around €1,000 per month), including legal representation costs and mental-health therapy necessary to remain functional under prolonged legal and financial pressure

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<div>Extra costs for GoFundMe Hidden Costs and transaction fees 
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<div>Total: €28,900, with the remaining amount accounting for ongoing penalties and immediate stabilization needs.

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<div>Previous fundraisers helped me survive they allowed me to keep my apartment and avoid immediate homelessness; but they did not resolve the structural debt. I have now reached the point where nothing more can be deferred.

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<div>Asking for help again is deeply painful. I am aware that I have asked before, and I do not take that lightly. This is not about funding a project or a lifestyle. It is about staying alive, staying legally present, and avoiding forced displacement.

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<div>I’m praying a 1000 persons contribute a 25€ to reach this goal.

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<div>If you are able to contribute or share this with someone who might be able to help, it would make a concrete and immediate difference. Transparency matters to me, and documentation can be provided upon request.

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<div>Thank you for taking the time to read this.

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<div>Thank you to everyone who has stood by me before, and to anyone who chooses to stand with me now.

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<div>Rakan

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Giuseppe Lo Schiavo

Lorenzo Danet

Olivia Mendez

Anonymous

Vladislav Lyssenko

Amber Grant

Josef Sühr

Ragaa Sabbagh

Valentina Magno

Huong Tran

Pedro Nicolau

Bora Kalo Räther

Ramsey Nassar

Sara Cochran

Sebastiaan Schoevaars

Either I Pay My Debts,  or I Leave Germany.

Either I Pay My Debts, or I Leave Germany.

Still €1,530 to go. Help us build momentum.