I left Guinea in 2013.
Several circumstances made me leave: I was not safe, my family was in trouble, there was no good security, there was no political change. In fact, it was my uncle who encouraged me because my family was threatened. I literally came to France to save myself.
When I was in Guinea, I was going to school, but then my father died, and there was no one to take care of me. Once, I was beaten up and hospitalised for three months at the Grand Hôpital Ignace-Deen. I was in a coma. It was my uncle who got me out of there.
From Guinea, we went to Mali, then Algeria, then Morocco. We spent a year and six months in Morocco. All the while, I was with my uncle. After that, we went back to Libya and did three months of prison in Libya. It was in Libya that I lost him.
In October 2016, I finally got into Italy and was there for four years. However, I couldn’t get any documents in Italy and didn’t understand the language. I even got sick, and they didn’t treat me, no procedure. So I decided to leave for France.
France
I came to France by train, and I am in the process of applying for work. I prefer France to Italy because I understand the language and Italy is too racist. I feel like I have assimilated into French society and doing everything to work. If you don’t work in France, it’s shit. What you need here is motivation. If you do the training, you will always work.
But it was not easy getting here. First I had difficulties en route to France. It was a disaster in the mountains, Briançon. I also had several misconceptions about France before arriving here. Before I came, I was told that I would have everything as soon as I arrived. But then, when I arrived, I was surprised. I slept for three months outside, and I lost my senses. This has been my biggest challenge so far. But now it’s good. It is all about patience; you don’t have to be in a hurry.
Illegal Migration
The problem with Guinea is that the leaders are false leaders. All they care about is their personal interests. If you are a leader, you have to think of everyone. You can’t do as you like. There is everything in Guinea, raw materials, oil. But people leave because the leaders are dishonest. They don’t do what they should, but rather give the raw materials to France and the United States.
People back home perceive people who come here as having a good life because they see pictures of them with nice clothes. They think that people in Europe sleep with the president or Marine Le Pen, but in fact, they might be sleeping at the tram stop.
And since the embassies don’t give visas and people want to leave, they find other ways.
Solutions
I don’t think migrants’ views are considered around immigration topics. The authorities already know why you became an immigrant. When you are in Africa, you are not an immigrant; you have to leave Africa to become one. You are labelled an immigrant when you come here.
I am willing to mobilise people for everything related to immigration, including demonstrations and welcoming. In Italy and Spain, there are immigrants who have died because they were not rescued.
Family
I have not returned home since I got here. I don’t really have any family. They threatened them, and I haven’t heard from my mother in three years. But she is alive; I have a friend who gave me news about her.
At the moment, I am not thinking about going back. What I am thinking about now is work. If I hear from my mum, I will bring her here and settle down with my wife. I met a Guinean girl on social networks. I can send her to my mother to check up on her.