Three African women’s train ride from Copenhagen to Hamburg through racism and resilience

June 26, 2025

Elizabeth Ragwar, a Ghanaian woman living in Germany, attended a conference on African women in Europe in Denmark and experienced a three-day ordeal of train disruptions while trying to return home. What began as a routine journey transformed into an unexpected bonding experience with two Kenyan women, Rachel and Elizabeth Ragwar, whom she met during the travel chaos. Their shared experiences of migration struggles and discrimination in Europe created a profound connection as they navigated through six different trains, an overnight hotel stay, and multiple service failures.

Who is affected

Elizabeth Ragwar (the author), a Ghanaian woman living in Germany for education
Rachel, a Kenyan woman, mother of two, and founder of ManGo Development
Elizabeth Ragwar, a Kenyan woman, mother of one who transitioned from IT to digital marketing
Black migrants and foreigners living in Europe more broadly
An elderly German man and his daughter who were also stranded travelers
Train passengers affected by the service disruptions

What action is being taken

The women are speaking up about their experiences of discrimination, with Elizabeth Ragwar stating "unless we speak about it, nothing will change"
Rachel and Elizabeth are supporting each other through the difficult travel situation, including confronting discriminatory treatment
Elizabeth Ragwar is sharing her experience of racial profiling and discrimination through social media posts on Facebook
Rachel is conducting training workshops to empower women in Kenya through her organization ManGo Development
The women are choosing train travel over flying as an environmentally conscious decision

Why it matters

The incidents highlight persistent racial discrimination in Europe, from subtle exclusion to overt mistreatment
The article reveals how "racism isn't always loud" but consists of "a thousand paper cuts" in daily interactions
It demonstrates how transportation disruptions disproportionately impact certain groups when combined with discriminatory treatment
The story shows the importance of community and solidarity among migrants facing similar challenges
It raises questions about the true cost of sustainable choices when they result in experiences that damage "mental health, dignity, and humanity"

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices