Why would someone leave everything behind… their family, their home and step into the unknown? Why would anyone risk crossing a vast, unforgiving sea on a boat that looks like it wouldn’t survive a single wave? These were the questions running through my mind as I watched people on TikTok share their stories of how they got to Europe.
One story that stuck with me was the recent tragedy off Morocco, where 69 migrants lost their lives trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands. It’s a stark reminder of the unimaginable lengths people will go for a chance at something better. For many of us, it’s easy to read these stories and feel disconnected. But behind every statistic is a person with dreams, fears, and a desperation so profound it outweighs the risks.
It’s tempting to ask, “Why don’t they just stay?” But imagine waking up every day in a place where opportunities don’t exist, where your child’s cries for food haunt you, where your basic human rights are denied, where violence lurks at your door. Imagine staying isn’t safe; staying feels like a slow death.
For many, leaving isn’t about choice… it’s about survival. Take the three men who recently clung to the rudder of a cargo ship for 11 days, travelling from Lagos Nigeria, to Spain. Eleven days! Likely with little to no food or water, relying on sheer hope to keep them going. Why would someone endure that? Because for them, the risks of leaving felt smaller than the risks of staying.
The Harsh Realities of the Journey
The West African route to Europe is one of the most dangerous migration paths in the world. Boats meant for fishing are overloaded with desperate passengers. Many don’t make it. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 20,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean since 2014.
The journey isn’t just physically dangerous; it’s emotionally devastating. Families are torn apart. Smugglers who promise safe passage often abuse or abandon those they’re supposed to help. Women face unimaginable violence. Men are forced into labour camps. Those who survive carry scars… both visible and invisible.
The root causes of migration are complex. In many African nations, poverty is crushing, governments are corrupt, and opportunities are scarce. Climate change and banditry have made farming harder, leaving families without food or income. For many, migration (what Nigerians call Japa-ing) has become the only perceived option.
The Role of the Media
When tragedies like the Morocco shipwreck hit the news, the focus is often on numbers: how many died, how many survived. But these stories are so much more than headlines or statistics. They’re about people… people with names, families, and dreams.
And yet, these same stories are sometimes used to fuel anti-immigration rhetoric. “If they just stayed home, this wouldn’t happen.” Comments like these dominate social media. And every time I read them, I can’t help but wonder… where is our humanity? Where is our empathy?
This is where the media’s role becomes important. By only reporting numbers, the human stories behind these tragedies are overshadowed. Instead of focusing solely on the risks migrants take, we should also examine why they’re taking these risks. What systemic issues push them to the point where crossing the Mediterranean seems like a better option than staying home?
When the media fails to provide this context, it fuels narratives that reduce migrants to faceless numbers or dangerous invaders. This leads to a cycle of misunderstanding, fear, and resistance, leaving little or no room for empathy or solutions.
Finding Empathy
It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of such a massive issue. But maybe the first step is simply to listen. To understand that behind every risky journey is a human being searching for dignity, safety, and a future.
What can we do? We can advocate for safer migration pathways. We can support organizations that help refugees. And we can challenge the narratives that dehumanize migrants and ignore the systemic issues driving them to leave their homes.
The ocean doesn’t care about dreams, but we should. Because migration isn’t just a political issue, it’s a human one.
