In Paris, This Refugee Radio Station Is A Lifeline — In 5 Different Languages

When Hassan Baigi arrived in Paris from Afghanistan as an asylum seeker in 2017, he thought his days of sleeping outside were over. But when he got to the City of Lights all the refugee camps were full, so Baigi ended up sleeping under a crowded, noisy metro station in northeast Paris. At one point, as many as 1,200 migrants were sleeping in tents at La Chapelle station.

"It was awful," Baigi says. He had a hard time really accepting that he was in Paris. "I thought I was somewhere else," he recalls.

Eventually Baigi connected with a group that asked if he would be interested in sharing his experiences for a local radio project. He was excited to participate. He thought it was particularly powerful for refugees to hear from other refugees.

The program that Baigi and other volunteers help produce is called Stalingrad Connection. It's named after another Paris metro station where migrants used to camp out back in 2016.

It was overcrowded, loud and sometimes dangerous, but it was also a forum where migrants, volunteers, activists and journalists met to exchange crucial information — such as where to find free showers, hot food, or how to fill out asylum applications.