Money Gambians send home from Europe is a lifeline for their families but the sacrifices take a toll

Associated Press

KWINELLA, Gambia (AP) — The money that many young Gambian men who left as migrants seeking jobs in Europe send back home every month is a lifeline for their families. They take a dangerous route, known locally as “the backway,” in unsafe boats across the Atlantic Ocean, or trek hundreds of miles across the Sahara Desert and then cross the Mediterranean Sea. Around 10% of Gambia’s population of 2.5 million has migrated to places in Europe in search of economic opportunities. And though the absence of so many young men weighs heavily on their communities in Gambia’s rural areas, many say the risk of migrating is worth it.