Yemen to Luxembourg – the story of a refugee family, 28/03/2025

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After traversing seven countries, and spending six years in camps here, Bushra & Mahmood just want a home to raise their family.
On this week’s episode I had the profound privilege of sitting down with Bushra Ahmed and Mahmood Abdu, a couple whose lives have been defined by a war that is still ongoing in Yemen.
Their courage, endurance, and aspiration for their family’s future drove them to leave everything behind and begin the journey to find a new home. Their story, spanning seven countries, is one of unimaginable hardship and enforced determination.
Bushra and Mahmood fled Yemen in 2017 with their three young sons aged just 3, 6 and 9 at the time. The political unrest and increasing danger made their home untenable. Bushra, once employed by the US Embassy, faced life-threatening risks as tensions escalated. Mahmood had worked for Yemen’s Ministry of Agriculture. Both had built stable, professional lives – lives that were upended due to war.
Their journey from Yemen went via Oman, Malaysia, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Belgium, and finally, Luxembourg. In Iran they were living in forests at border with Turkey and had to climb mountains at night and walk, with their three young boys, for two weeks to the capital city of Ankara.
There, they paid for a treacherous boat crossing to Kos, captained by someone who didn’t know the way. On Kos, where they lived for six months in awful conditions, Mahmood built them a shelter.
Finally, they reached Luxembourg in 2019. A new chapter. A place of peace. Another baby. They could not have envisaged still living in camps in 2025.
A Hidden Struggle in the Heart of Europe
Since arriving in Luxembourg, Bushra and Mahmood have been housed in various refugee camps. Six years later, they’re still there. Currently, they live in two small rooms in a camp in Luxembourg City, sharing bathroom and kitchen facilities with five other families. And they pay for it – over €1,100 per month.
Despite Luxembourg’s wealth and reputation for high living standards, their search for a stable home seems insurmountable. Their teenage sons, now in school in Clervaux, spend four hours a day commuting to and from school. Bushra, works but her health has been deeply impacted by relentless stress. Mahmood, has to manage the travel logistics for the children and support their education, alongside learning French.
They have filled out hundreds of housing applications – public and private. But the answer is always the same: too expensive, too large a family, or simply, no response at all.
Their story is one of many – but one we rarely hear.
Luxembourg’s Deepening Housing Crisis
To shed light on the broader context, I was joined by RTL’s French-language housing journalist, Gaël Arellano. His reporting has laid bare the critical state of housing in Luxembourg.
Why is renting so hard – and so expensive?
It’s a perfect storm:
- Population growth vs. housing supply: Luxembourg needs to build around 6,000 new homes per year to keep up with demand. In the last two years, only 700–800 homes were built annually.
- Collapse of new construction: Rising interest rates and stagnant prices have stalled new builds.
- Pressure shift: As buying has become unaffordable, pressure has shifted to the rental market, pushing rents higher.
- Discrimination: Gaël has spoken with real estate agents who confirm that some landlords openly discriminate – against nationalities, large families, even people with children.
Though laws exist to cap rent or ensure fair treatment, enforcement is often absent or toothless. And for refugee families like Bushra and Mahmood’s, who may not have perfect credit histories or high incomes, the barriers multiply.
A Home, Not Just a House
Despite all this, Bushra and Mahmood remain incredibly gracious and resilient. Their sons are doing their best in school and have many friends, but they crave a normal, stable home life.
“They just want to invite their friends over. They want to feel normal.”
They simply want what every parent wants: a stable home where their children can grow, dream, and belong. Luxembourg is their home now.
So let’s ask ourselves – and our community – what can be done? We know the housing situation in Luxembourg is extremely tough, but so much moreso for refugees who are living in limbo.
Bushra and Mahmood’s story is so deeply humbling. A family who simply want to start their life from scratch and a build a home for their family.
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