About us
Origin Story
The founding of the association Pena.ger e.V. [1] in December 2023 took place against the backdrop of profound budget cuts in the field of migration counseling. At the same time, it was a response to the tragic death of Hogir Alay, a young Kurdish refugee whose story exemplifies systemic failure in dealing with people seeking protection. In November 2023, he was found hanged in a forest near his accommodation.
Officially, his death was classified as a suicide, but the exact circumstances remain unclear to this day. Prior to that, Hogir had repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to find support in his precarious living situation. He suffered from isolation, a lack of prospects, and psychological pressure ; conditions that many other refugees in German collective accommodation experience as well.
We see our work not only as counseling, but as a gesture of solidarity and an intervention against institutional violence, isolation, and systemic neglect. The story of Hogir Alay must not be repeated.
The death of Hogir Alay is, for us, a symbol of a system that too often fails those seeking protection. His tragic fate served as a wake-up call: no one should be left alone in their distress. The founding of Pena.ger e.V. was a direct response to these structural deficiencies, with the aim of reaching affected individuals more effectively, providing early support, and opening up prospects where hopelessness prevails.
[1] The name Pena.ger is derived from the Kurdish terms “Pena” (protection, assistance) and “Ger” (search, seeker), symbolically representing the core mission of the association: to provide a reliable, supportive point of contact for people seeking protection, offering guidance within the complex German asylum and support system.
Perspectives from the work for refugees
In this section, you can see our work with refugees: through interviews, reports, and articles, we provide insights into our counseling practice, highlight challenges, and make acts of solidarity visible.
