Migrating in search of a better future, surviving a perilous journey, and rebuilding his life on solid foundations… Pape Demba Sow’s story is a testament to resilience and the power to transform suffering into renewal. His journey, marked by shattered dreams and personal rebirth, proves that it is possible to stay home and succeed.
Pape Demba Sow welcomes us into his home in the Ndiolofeen district of Gorée, Saint-Louis. Slender and composed, this returnee has found his way back to his hometown after a journey filled with emotional depth and immense hardship. In 2006, he left Senegal for Spain aboard a dugout fishing boat, leaving everything familiar behind. “I owned a successful carpentry workshop, fully equipped with high-quality tools,” he recalls. “I even pawned it to the boat captain to pay for the journey; the passage cost me 500,000 CFA francs.”
His motivation was clear: “In 2006, I was young and dreaming of a better future. Seeing people return from Europe with lots of possessions inspired me to try my luck.” But what began as a hopeful adventure soon turned into a harrowing ordeal – ten days at sea in 20-metre swells, crammed onto an overcrowded boat with 200 others, all battling fear, exhaustion and conflict. “The captain hadn’t followed the planned route and the journey was extremely exhausting,” Pape recalls. “The sea was rough and fights would break out among the migrants.”
When they finally reached Spain, the reality was tragic: one migrant had died and several others were suffering from mental illness due to the extreme conditions of the journey. “Life in the dugout was unbearable. Even at night, we were all crammed together, trying to sleep,” Pape recalls. The voyage had already been delayed three times because of misinformation and poor planning. After surviving the harrowing crossing, Pape Demba was detained for 45 days before being repatriated to Senegal.
New life full of challenges
His return could have marked the end of his dreams – but instead, Pape chose to keep fighting. He resumed his carpentry workshop, a trade he both loves and has mastered. “I’ve built my own house and now own several furnished apartments,” he says proudly, smiling as he sits in one of them. Before leaving, he had secured a contract to manufacture doors and windows for the Saint-Louis town hall but was still awaiting payment. Upon his return, he collected what was owed and picked up right where he left off. His talent continued to open new doors: he is now employed as a carpenter at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis. He also collaborated with French director Olivier Langlois on a film about irregular migration. Thanks to this project, he was able to save enough to buy a plot of land, where he later built a house, further securing his future. Today, Pape Demba Sow is back in his native region, fully in control of his life and choices. His journey is proof that it is possible to stay and succeed, even after enduring great hardship. His message is clear: “It is possible to stay and succeed.”
