Here what the migrants carried in their bags to cross the Moroccan/Spanish border.
Thousands of migrants from Sub-saharan Africa leave their country in an attempt to reach Europe. The ones who don’t have the means to cross by sea, choose to travel over ground through Ceuta or Melilla, two Spanish enclaves in the north of Morocco. The migrants wait up to several years to « boza » - succeed in crossing the Spanish border -, living in camps hidden in the forest near the European border.
Migrants clandestinely enter Morocco by crossing the border with Algeria or Mauritania. After a long journey, Morocco is the last step before Europe. The goal is to reach the top of the Massif Gourougou, in the North of Morocco, close to the city of Nador, where lies a camp sight hidden in the forest. Up to 1500 men live there in precarious conditions, waiting for the day they will cross the border.
Life in the camp is very stressful. The Moroccan auxiliary forces attempt to dismantle the Gourougou camp several times a week. They destroy the inhabitants’ food and burn their belongings. The migrants show impressive perseverance and resilience; some of them have tried to cross the fence over 30 times. « Hot returns » by the Spanish Guardia Civil send them back to Morocco right after crossing. Migrants have tirelessly come back to the top of the mountain to try again and catch their dream. Going back home is not even an option, as the pressure from relatives is too high. They become obsessed with the idea of succeeding.
One of the two land borders that separate Europe from Africa. In the left of the image is the Spanish city of Melilla, on the right, is the Moroccan side with the village Mariouari. Twelve kilometers of fences protect the European enclave.
The migrant wake up to regular military assaults. Early in the morning, migrants take everything they have and flee at the approach of the military few minutes before they arrive. -January 2017-
A migrant injured his ankle as he was fleeing the military assault from the Gourougou camp. His friend is trying to heal him. -January 2017-
A group of migrants watching their belongings burned by the Moroccan auxiliary forces in the Gourougou camp.
Migrants rebuilding their huts from branches, plastic sheeting, and blankets, after the military assault. Many of these shelters will be destroyed again by the Moroccan military few days later. -January 2017-
A migrant taking his shower in the Gourougou camp before starting his day. -April 2017-
In 2014 Spain developed the fence and added a smaller mesh, to stop the migrants climbing with bare hands. So the migrants created a special kit to climb the new fence: They have added to their shoes three bolts reinforced with metal sheets, and made steel hooks for a faster catch. -December 2016-
A migrant posing with his hooks, ready to climb the border fence. Since March 2015, after the opening of the office of applications for asylum, the Spanish Government has hardened the migratory laws aimed at people trying to enter Spain illegally. Nevertheless, the migrants continue to attempt to cross the border and dream of the day they will leave Gourougou.-April 2017-
Before approaching the border migrants sometimes do rituals to bring good luck. On this picture, a group of migrants standing in line waiting for the holy water to protect themselves a few days before trying to cross the border. -April 2017-
A family portrait forgotten by a migrant in the Gourougou Camp. The majority of migrants leave a life behind and hope for a better one ... Hope, is their only consolation in this hardship. -April 2017-
Madou a young Malian migrant, watching Melilla - one of the two European cities on the African continent - from a viewpoint nearby the Gourougou camp in Northern Morocco. To cross the border, he has to face a six-meter-tall double fence, a three-meter fence, a barbed wire fence and escape the Moroccan military who regulate the migration for the EU. -January 2017-
