When Aida left Senegal in 2021 at the age of 16, seeking a better life, her journey turned into a nightmare. Tunisia has become a central hub in migrant routes, intertwining dreams of hope with harsh realities of despair. The Mediterranean Aid Education Center (MAEC), born from the experience of MOAS Italy, addresses these challenges with humanitarian aid and educational projects aimed at developing knowledge of migration processes and associated risks. Here are some of the stories collected by MAEC.
When Aida left Senegal in 2021 at 16 years old, she had little money, a backpack, dreams, and ambitions. Like many young people, she emigrated from her country seeking a better life, but her journey quickly turned into a nightmare. From the abuses by traffickers in the Mali desert to sexual violence in Libya, Tunisia is now her temporary home. Europe, just across the sea, is too close not to try, too inviting with its promises of wealth and opportunity. Why not leave?
Similarly, Kijani obtained a study permit in Tunisia from Congo in 2020. Awaiting him was a new life filled with new experiences, knowledge, and friendly faces. With his visa expired, he now finds himself in a legal limbo, facing potential forced repatriation and uncertainty about the future. The sea towards Europe seems endless, and he lacks the funds to return home.
Unlike Aida and Kijani, Yemi is in Tunisia by choice and has no intention of crossing the Mediterranean or returning to his home country, Nigeria. Yemi, a chemist, arrived for a job offer that turned out to be inadequate. Distrust, endless bureaucracy, and lack of resources forced him to live below his potential. He wants to break free, but where to start?
Asma is a young and brilliant Tunisian student whose ambitions are limited by a nation that offers little and takes much. Unlike the others, her resources are not limited, and her family supports her as best they can. But Asma cannot go to Europe without specific rules allowing her to obtain a visa. Italy is close; she learned Italian and French at school and wants to try. They say with calm seas and a good engine, Sicily can be reached in a few hours. Why stay?
The stories collected by MAEC during its mission in Tunisia share a common thread: lack of information or incorrect information. All of them have a single hope for a better future, clashing with the reality on the ground filled with exploitation, violence, abuse, and even death.
How would Yissa’s life have changed if she had known the risks of relying on human traffickers? Or the violence of traffickers en route to the southern shore of the Mediterranean? Or the dangers of crossing not just the desert but also the stretch of sea? Would she have sought safe and legal migration methods?
What would Kijani and Yemi have said if they had known about the bureaucratic delays and lack of opportunities in Tunisia? Would they have left, or would they have sought a safe way to reach their destination? And Asma? Would she have left her home and studies to move to a Europe in economic and social crisis if someone had explained the situation to her clearly?
In an increasingly interconnected world, migration stories across the Mediterranean reveal intense narratives of courage, hope, and despair. Each journey across this ancient sea brings with it a set of challenges and opportunities, intertwining the lives of those seeking a new beginning with the often cruel realities of their journey.
Tunisia is now a central hub of this crossroads, and it is crucial that international cooperation and the humanitarian world focus on this country, supporting the tens of thousands of people who find themselves in limbo without even having had the opportunity to choose.
This is why the implementation of Safe and Legal Pathways must be accompanied by the creation of targeted programs—such as seminars, workshops, screenings, and more—in countries of origin and transit to inform about the risks of irregular migration. Additionally, a new humanitarian approach focusing on education and awareness of the social and economic realities in Europe and destination countries should be tested, rather than waiting at the borders. These initiatives would surely help people make informed decisions, weigh risks and opportunities, and ultimately decide consciously.
Too often, we have seen migrants wanting to return when it was too late. Or reach their destination only to find hell on earth rather than the longed-for paradise. Despite our good intentions and clearly reiterating the importance of sea rescues, it is evident that the journey, difficulties, and abuses create an open wound that will remain with them forever. We must avoid this.
Regina Egle Liotta Catrambone, Director, Mediterranean Aid Education Center.
