“Some of the people gave up and went back to their country. A young Malian boy and I had the courage to keep going. We motivated each other, we would tell each other that there is no happiness without suffering. You’ve already given so much that you’re telling yourself: Don’t go back! Let’s try again! Let’s take the risk! Those who don’t dare don’t get anything in life!
First we had to cross the desert back into Libya. I had done it once before, so I knew the way. But there are border guards and dogs working together at night. They can come right next to you without you knowing. But when the dogs run towards you barking, and if you have small pieces of meat, you throw them and they’ll run to eat them. That’s what we did and how we got into Libya.
They sent us off in the inflatable boat a few days later at around 4 in the morning. It took us about 10 hours before we reached the international zone. There were rescuers there with a big boat. They waved at us. Everyone started to feel relieved. People started cheering. We started to thank God. These are moments of joy and emotion. For some people, the emotion was overwhelming and they started to cry. Because they didn’t think it could go so well. There’s also the tiredness that starts showing, with all the time we spent without drinking or eating. Then the boat headed to Italia, and on June 29, 2017 we arrived in the port of Salerno.
I started to realize that we had put our life at risk only 8 months after we arrived. Now when I sleep, I see images of the crossing, as if I still am in the boat. Sometimes I wake up in a big jump, and I can’t sleep anymore. This really wasn’t a game. I understood that it was something really dangerous. It was really stupid of us. I will never do that again, and I will never motivate someone to put his life at risk like we did. No. I don’t do it, and I will never do it.”
(translated from French)
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“Some of the people gave up and went back to their country. A young Malian boy and I had the courage to keep going. We motivated each other, we would tell each other that there is no happiness without suffering. You’ve already given so much that you’re telling yourself: Don’t go back! Let’s try again! Let’s take the risk! Those who don’t dare don’t get anything in life!
First we had to cross the desert back into Libya. I had done it once before, so I knew the way. But there are border guards and dogs working together at night. They can come right next to you without you knowing. But when the dogs run towards you barking, and if you have small pieces of meat, you throw them and they’ll run to eat them. That’s what we did and how we got into Libya.
They sent us off in the inflatable boat a few days later at around 4 in the morning. It took us about 10 hours before we reached the international zone. There were rescuers there with a big boat. They waved at us. Everyone started to feel relieved. People started cheering. We started to thank God. These are moments of joy and emotion. For some people, the emotion was overwhelming and they started to cry. Because they didn’t think it could go so well. There’s also the tiredness that starts showing, with all the time we spent without drinking or eating. Then the boat headed to Italia, and on June 29, 2017 we arrived in the port of Salerno.
I started to realize that we had put our life at risk only 8 months after we arrived. Now when I sleep, I see images of the crossing, as if I still am in the boat. Sometimes I wake up in a big jump, and I can’t sleep anymore. This really wasn’t a game. I understood that it was something really dangerous. It was really stupid of us. I will never do that again, and I will never motivate someone to put his life at risk like we did. No. I don’t do it, and I will never do it.”
(translated from French)