Refugees and the most important things they took with them

The Syrian woman who took a toy turtle in Munich, in his pocket, the girl who brought the cat in the refugee camp idomeni in Greece — all of whom had run away from home and his native country, pose the question: "What to me is so important that I can't leave?"

Photographer from Basel, Gabrielle hill, invited the refugees to his Studio where he usually does corporate portrait photo shoot, and asked them to bring the most important thing they carried with them on the way to a safe place. As a rule, it turns out that this is the only thing they took from the house.

Shirin, 21, fled from Afghanistan in 2010.

Sayle, 33, escaped from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992.

When the war started, everything happened so fast that I could not understand what was happening, nor to think about what I would like to take with me when we ran. So I forgot my rabbit when we left. Dad left and I wrote him lots of letters, which was: "You found my Bunny? I miss you!"

I can't describe my feelings when I again saw her father three years later, in 1995. I was shaking when I saw his face at the airport in Zurich and realized that it keeps my hare."

Tagi, 27 years old, escaped from Iran in 2011.

Joseph, 20, escaped Eritrea in 2014.

I left a small notebook with phone numbers and a few photos from my childhood. Phone numbers had a great significance because several times I was detained and had to pay a ransom to let me go. I am lucky that I have an uncle in the United States: he sent me the money and I could pay. So his phone number was the most important thing in my life."

Nazim, 26, fled from Afghanistan in 2011.

The only thing I have left is a little book from the police Academy and beads that my mom gave me. I always wanted to be a COP. This little book is the only thing I have left of this dream."

Ahmed, 23 years, fled Eritrea in 2013.

Clothes got wet and became so heavy that I had to take it off. She disappeared into the sea with a piece of paper with a phone of my family. I survived, as another 200 people. More than 250 people since the ship sank. A few months after escaping from Eritrea, I found a man in Switzerland who was able to contact my family. They thought I didn't survive the journey. This piece of paper with their room was the most important of my things."

Marie-Therese 62 years old, escaped from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008.

Rohulla, 24, fled from Afghanistan in 2010.

I came to Switzerland, and this chain — the only thing I have left of family and country. It has for me huge value, it gives me a feeling that I am not alone, as if dad is always with me."

Farhad, 27 years old, fled Afghanistan in 2007.

Vinasiam, 64 years old, escaped from Sri Lanka in 1984.

Migmar, 59 years old, escaped from Tibet in 1959.

Suleiman, 18, fled from Afghanistan in 2014.

Of all the things I took with me, leaving only this mobile phone. My mother bought it before I escaped from Afghanistan. She had spent 3000 Afghanis (about $ 45). This is half of the monthly income of my family. The phone was the only way to tell my family what I step of the way and with me everything is in order. Mother was very worried, so I called periodically, and it comforted her. The phone also gave me the opportunity to feel more safe and not so lonely".

Mahmood, 20, fled from Lebanon in 2014.

Here in Switzerland, I live in the orphanage, mostly Muslims. My family are the only people who know that I switched to another faith. So I can't show face, I'm living a double life."