Yao Roger Patrice Kpeteka arrived in Senegal in 2021. At the Centre for Information Science and Technology Studies (CESTI), he broadened his worldview by studying journalism. His choice of institution was not merely an academic decision, but a deliberate effort to engage with the issues shaping society and to learn how to uncover the truths hidden between the lines and in the silences. This decision has proven to be more of a promise kept than a regret; a commitment to embracing curiosity, even when the terrain proves challenging. Like any migration story, Roger’s journey has had its fair share of obstacles. As a journalist, the wolof language barrier is a daily challenge.

For Roger, migration is much more than just moving to a different place; it is a form of therapy. It is an attempt to redefine his identity and broaden his horizons. In Senegal, he is learning to listen differently. He is discovering that a voice in search of itself can be shaped through attentive listening and that speech becomes more precise when one pays attention to what is left unsaid. For this Beninese national, migration is not an escape, but an invitation to learn how to express himself in a world that is waiting to hear him.