"He didn't dare tell my father that he should pay the money back little by little."

ValleysEmigrating is always a difficult experience, but it becomes even more complicated if you don't know anyone in the country you're going to, if the language and customs are different, and if you're only fifteen years old, the journey is in a small boat, and you can't swim. But that's not all: when you arrive at your destination, you discover that nothing was as easy as it seemed and that paying back the money you borrowed for the journey will be nearly impossible.

Debt incurred to seek a better future is one of the heaviest burdens that young migrants from Africa must carry as they cross the Strait of Gibraltar in search of a better life. "I owed about 4,000 euros and I still have a thousand to pay back," laments Lachen, a twenty-three-year-old who arrived in Spain in 2018, at just fifteen years old. He entered Spain through Andalusia, from there he was sent to Tortosa and then to Reus. Now he lives and works in Valls and has the support of the Ginac Foundation. "My family thought that once we got here, it would be easy to get my paperwork in order and find a job and a place to live. But when you arrive, you realize that everything is much more difficult," he laments. According to Lachen, this idea that life here is all about sewing and making bottles is greatly amplified by social media, which is adept at presenting a false reality. Lachen's father sold all the land he owned to raise enough money for his son to escape the poverty of his village. But that money has to be repaid.

Soulaymane knows this reality very well. He, too, arrived in the country as a minor and now works for the Ginac Foundation as an educator in a home for other migrants who were once in foster care. "Usually, it's the kids themselves who realize that if they don't leave, they have no future. The parents initially oppose it, but eventually accept it. Everyone knows a similar case, and everyone knows that the European Union protects children. However, for the parents, it's a grieving process because they know their child is still very vulnerable."

Involving the parents

The guilt of not being able to repay the family's money becomes increasingly burdensome and turns into a true nightmare. Aware of this reality, the educators sought out the parents of the children they work with and, after asking for permission, contacted them to explain the reality of migrant children in Catalonia and, above all, to build a connection. Often, when the family relinquishes custody of their child, contact cools, and this, obviously, further complicates the child's life. "It's not just about freeing them from the financial pressure, but also about involving them and seeking their participation," explains Andreu Porta, head of the Camins d'Inserció project at the Fundació. "I didn't dare tell my father that I should pay the money back little by little," Lachen admits. Thanks to Soulaymane's mediation, he was able to tell him, but he still hasn't completely lifted the weight from his shoulders. "Every time we talk, we have to explain it all again," she says. Every three months, he pays back 500 euros, and if he keeps his promise, he'll have repaid the entire trip cost in six months. During the calls, the educators explain to the parents that the boy is working towards a degree and looking for a stable job, but that things aren't easy. "When we explain that they're getting an education, the families feel more at ease," says Soulaymane, who also explains that some families don't need the boys to pay them back, or at least not immediately.

This is the case of Mustafa, a nineteen-year-old Moroccan boy. "I speak to my parents once a week, and they tell me to respect the role models I have here, to get an education, and to work." Regarding the money, his parents tell him there's no rush to pay it back, as they are aware—thanks to the information they now have—that it's difficult to earn a living in Europe. They all know that it's necessary to get an education to have a minimum of stability because the residence permit is for two years, and after that, if you don't have a job for three months, you lose your residency and have to start all over again, as stipulated by Spanish immigration law.

Thanks to an agreement with the Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Care (DGAIA), the Ginac Foundation has a residence where ten young migrants, now adults, live together and are receiving training to get ahead. With limited spaces available, misbehavior or failure to follow the rules means being excluded and losing this essential resource. Aware of the support they are receiving, the ten young men living in an apartment run by the Ginac Foundation also participate in the T'ho Torno project, which involves volunteering to help others.