Former Afghan Communication Minister Sayed Sadaat sits with his gear as he works for the food delivery service Lieferando in Leipzig, Germany. Sadaat moved to Germany last September in the hope of a better future. Now he is a delivery man in the east German city.
He said some at home criticised him for taking such a job after having served in the government for two years, leaving office in 2018. But for him now, a job is a job.
“I have nothing to feel guilty about,” the 49-year-old said, standing in his orange uniform next to his bike. “I hope other politicians also follow the same path, working with the public rather than just hiding.”
Even with his background, Saadat struggled to find a job in Germany that matched his experience. With two master’s degrees in communications and electronic engineering from the University of Oxford, Saadat had hoped to find work in a related field. But with no German, his chances were slim.
“The language is the most important part,” said Sadaat, who also holds British citizenship.
Every day Saadat, who also holds British citizenship, does four hours of German at a language school before starting a six-hour evening shift delivering meals for Lieferando, where he started this summer.
“The first few days were exciting but difficult,” he said, describing the challenge of learning to cycle in the city traffic. “The more you go out and the more you see people, the more you learn.”
Photos: Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters’
- Guardian Nigeria
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