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22-year-old Gambian has finally entered Lampedusa, Italy, through Libya.
He spent one year on the way; another two years preparing for the journey together with his family back home in The Gambia.
Bubacarr Fadera owes his life to the Italian Marine that rescued their sinking boat on 7 May 2015.
“I thank Allah for His mercy that I have not died on a journey to my dream destination,” he said.“I saw many people die on the way and I am sure they all had the same intention to make life better for their poor families back home.”
Babucarr said the hardship he endured during the journey did not come as a surprise to him, for he already knew and calculated the pains involved in the ‘back-way’ to Europe.
But also he calculated ‘the potential gains’ which made him to venture in it as it could be the solution to free his family from the vicious cycle of poverty.
“I could not continue looking at my parents continuously suffering to cater for the family,” he said.“I felt sorry but helpless at the state of my family and at some point I said to myself things cannot continue like this; I have to do something.”
The young man said the only option that occurred to him was Europe, Italy specifically.“I suggested it to my family and they were corporative in helping to prepare my journey, financially and spiritually,” he recalled.
When he set out for the journey, the young man with a broad shoulder said he was determined to reach Europe or die but “coming back was no option”.
Bubacarr said now that he has entered, if he got the required documents, he would not mind doing any kind of job provided it is legal and would earn him some money.
Baboucarr is a high school graduate.“I have good grades in school.My desire was to pursue further education but my family couldn’t afford it; there was no one to sponsor me,” he said.
“So I decided that I should look for employment.I tried several places but to no avail.Certainly, I could have got myself a so-called job from which the salary cannot even afford a bag of rice.”
“So when I think of my situation – no further
education is possible and no job – I get frustrated and the thought of my
parents getting aging but still fending for the family always make me
grieve.So I finally hit the route to
Europe, through Libya, and here I am thanking God for my life.I know no matter how hard here is, it is
still better than The Gambia; at least I should be able to gather something to save
my parents of the labour they go through to feed the family.”