Challenges of Migration from Gambia

Many young Gambians embark on dangerous migration journeys to Europe in search of better opportunities due to dire economic conditions at home. Factors such as climate change negatively impacting farming, job scarcity, and political repression compel individuals to take significant risks, including selling personal belongings and property to finance their journey. Interestingly, it is not just the impoverished; even middle-class families engage in this risky endeavor, believing that the potential remittances from a successful migration could outweigh the initial losses. This perspective reveals a widespread aspiration for a perceived better life in the West, often fueled by unrealistic expectations about what awaits them abroad.