There are those who die trying to reach our borders, escaping from poverty, famine, violence, dictatorships, wars, persecution, in search of a dignified life. There are those who are detained, who experience human rights abuses while being detained or while waiting for their legal status to be determined. There are those who make it, who are inside the borders and in transit, from their point of arrival, trying to reach their final destination. Those who have reached their final destination, having overcome the dangerous journey and all it comes with, have only just begun, because a residency permit does not necessarily mean a home, employment, nor becoming part of the local community.
The journey of a migrant is a long, lonely and dangerous one, and their stories often go untold, their struggles often unnoticed because detention centres, reception facilities, even housing, are mostly strategically located on the outskirts of urban areas. Out of sight, out of mind.
The Transeuropa Caravans went directly to these locations, met with migrants who came to Europe through various means and for different reasons, and spoke to the admirable, dedicated individuals fighting for them, working to help them make sense of the system and find a dignified life. This is their story. Read here.