Teen refugee teaches other young asylum-seekers about risks of abuse
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By Mirjana Milenkovski in Belgrade
Arsalan knows about the risks of violence and exploitation firsthand. Armed groups used to barge into the shop where he worked in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and threaten to kill him.
When he fled the country to seek safety abroad, he saw smugglers beat and mistreat other children fleeing alone. He was just 16 himself. Now an asylum seeker in Serbia, he draws on his experiences to teach a course for young people like himself, who have traveled alone to seek asylum.
“I try to convey this knowledge to my peers in the asylum centre in Krnjača [a neighbourhood of the capital Belgrade] . I am certain they will find it useful,” he said.