Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants try to reach Europe, crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Thousands of them die or go missing.
The Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa, loses thousands of people to irregular migration every year. The majority of them are young men, aged between 20 and 25 years, educated, and were already earning income before their departure. Dismayed at the long-term economic stagnation in the country, they search for better opportunities in other countries, especially in Europe.
Amadou Jobe was 25 when he embarked on a perilous journey through northern Africa to Italy. While preparing for the final leg of journey from Libya, he was captured and put in a detention centre. With the support from the UN Migration Agency (IOM), he and other detainees were able to return home. He participated in a youth training programme funded by IOM and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and is now trying to make a life for himself and his family back home, starting from zero.
(Video produced in partnership with IOM and UNCDF)
