Dialog space

Testimony

Stories and voices of people directly concerned by migration in Africa.

Éric Agbemelo’s journey of travel, learning and belonging
Testimony

Éric Agbemelo’s journey of travel, learning and belonging

Having travelled from West Africa to Europe and then North America, Éric Agbemelo has seen the world while maintaining a connection to his home continent. Now based in N’Djamena, Chad, this Togolese man sees travel as a school of life, and returning home as a responsibility: to share the knowledge he has gained and help …

Easing visa application processes could effectively fight irregular migration, Senegalese activist says
Testimony

Easing visa application processes could effectively fight irregular migration, Senegalese activist says

Cheikh Abdou Fall is the coordinator of the Association of Returnee Migrants for Reintegration and Development (CM2RD) in Senegal. In this interview with Dialogue Migration, Mr. Fall, who lives in Pikine, Dakar suburbs shares his insights on key issues surrounding migration. Kindly present CM2RD and outline the specific initiatives your organization undertakes to combat irregular …

Hair clippers as resilience tool in Niamey neighbourhood
Testimony

Hair clippers as resilience tool in Niamey neighbourhood

In the heart of Dar es Salaam in Niamey, Niger a story of entrepreneurship and friendship has taken root. Born in 1997, Abdoul Razak and Ibrahim decided to combine their skills to open a barbershop in the neighbourhood where they grew up. Amidst an atmosphere of energy and determination, they embarked on a shared journey …

Returnees leader exposes project economy of migration
Testimony

Returnees leader exposes project economy of migration

In this interview, Moustapha Diouf, president of the Association of Young Returnees of Thiaroye-sur-Mer (AJRAP), draws on his personal experience and civic engagement to highlight the risks of irregular migration and propose practical solutions. Through raising awareness, providing training and fostering cooperation between the State and Europe, he advocates for the efficient use of Senegal’s …

Caught between Cameroon and Senegal: how love rewrites the story of her life
Testimony

Caught between Cameroon and Senegal: how love rewrites the story of her life

Caught between two countries and two ways of life, Grace Gabrielle Princia Dooko found herself facing a destiny beyond her control. When she arrived in Senegal five years ago, she had to overcome obstacles such as language barriers, financial difficulties and the challenge of finding her footing and to flourish in life – first as …

Interview with Momo Diop on the tragedy of missing migrants
Testimony

Interview with Momo Diop on the tragedy of missing migrants

Momo Diop, President of the NGO Union pour la Solidarité et l’Entraide (Union for Solidarity and Mutual Aid) and Coordinator of Remobilisation pour le Développement (Remedev) or Development through Remobilisation, reflects on the tragedy of missing migrants. He shares his analysis and the solutions that civil society organisations, such as his own, are striving to …

Chadian Masbé Ndengar’s civic engagement in Burkina Faso
Testimony

Chadian Masbé Ndengar’s civic engagement in Burkina Faso

Chadian Masbé Ndengar is one of the most prominent figures in journalism and activism in his adopted country. Now in his thirties, he defines himself as a global citizen through his social and community engagement. His motto is: “Fighting with others for a better world”. In Dialogue Migration, we delve into his personal life as …

From fields to frontiers: Fatou’s football dream and the cost of leaving
Testimony

From fields to frontiers: Fatou’s football dream and the cost of leaving

Fatou is a 16-year-old aspiring footballer from Thiaroye-sur-Mer whose dream of playing in Europe is confronted with the harsh realities of failed irregular migration. Her story intertwines her passion for football with family dilemmas, shedding light on the profound motivations that push young individuals to seek asylum and the grave consequences that often follow. Amidst …

Rural exodus in Togo: a silent mobility and its socio-economic impacts
Testimony

Rural exodus in Togo: a silent mobility and its socio-economic impacts

In the silence of unannounced departures, a phenomenon is shaping Togolese society without making headlines: rural exodus. Every year, thousands of young Togolese leave rural areas to try their luck in cities like Lomé, Kara or Kpalimé. While this internal mobility may seem natural, it has profound consequences on agriculture, family structures and the economic …

Sidy Daffé turns his back on the sea to save lives in Senegal’s coastal town
Testimony

Sidy Daffé turns his back on the sea to save lives in Senegal’s coastal town

Hailing from Joal-Fadiouth, a commune in the coastal petite-côte region of Senegal, southeast of Dakar, Sidy Daffé has experienced the dangers of irregular migration firsthand. After several failed attempts to reach Europe by sea, he decided to take control of his destiny by becoming an activist. Today, he educates young people about the risks of …

No young person leaves their homeland for fun, it’s a nightmare,Chadian activist says
Testimony

No young person leaves their homeland for fun, it’s a nightmare,Chadian activist says

Sika’s name has become well-known among Chadian internet users. This young woman is known for her committed activism and regularly stirs up the web in Chad by denouncing the poor governance and profound social injustices that plague her country. Having lived in Canada for over a year, Sika Nguemta continues her struggle from afar. However, …

Ivorian lady narrates experience at borders, her dreams across Maghreb
Testimony

Ivorian lady narrates experience at borders, her dreams across Maghreb

At first glance, Josiane*’s story seems quite ordinary. It is just the account of a migrant sharing her experience of migrating and crossing other Maghreb borders. However, if you listen carefully, you will discover the sad story of a woman and her husband searching for a better tomorrow, driven not by charity, but by their …