To the north

Ceuta and Melilla are the main spots by which millions of African citizens try to enter daily in the Iberian Peninsula. Either to stay in it or to move to another country in Europe. Most of them come from countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria and Gambia, trying to scape from the misery caused by their governments, from the epidemys or simply, because they don’t want to die in a war that has already caused thousands of deaths. However, the dream they all share of moving to a another country where everything is going to be easier often stays like that, just a dream.

It all begins when, after a few months, if not years, they manage to leave their own country illegally, either through a local mafia or through their own means. After this feat, reaching the border with the Mediterranean Sea will cost them many months of suffering, where many of them have to stay on the road. When they are already there and already spotting Spanish territory on the other side of the endless and threatening fence, which the Spanish government built in 1998, the launching to cross it will be a complete adventure. They will need a thorough study on the habits of the guards and a great pooling to engineer the plan to be able to cross the border without a scratch. Unfortunately, most of the times it is not as planned and, after receiving a barbarity of blows by the guards, an act that has been condemned by the Human Rights Court, they are admitted to a Temporary Immigrant Stay Center where they will try in all possible ways to avoid being returned to their country by the Spanish administration.

If after all this time they are still alive and get to enter Spanish territory, it is only the first phase of their journey that has concluded. Spanish legislation does not allow any illegal immigrant (recognizes illegal who does not have legal papers to establish in Spain) and they have to enjoy the minimum social rights as a citizen. The Aliens Act dictates that without official papers they can not receive medical help, enjoy a free public education or, most importantly, start a new life in their dream country, and find a job that gives them the money they need need to subsist. Many of them, arriving at this point, does not know whet to do and are in desperate for lack of protection, and therefore decide to return to their countries. But the vast majority of them face the State and look for alternative and generally dangerous ways to survive day by day in this strange new home. Women's work outlets are usually getting black money either as housewives or undercover beauty shops, while men often take to the streets with their sheets full of products bought in Chinese shops or found at flea markets.

Most keepers are Senegalese and face every time they go out with their products they can face 60 days in jail and more than possible have to return to their country. That is why they have to be very cautious and join groups or associations to protect themselves. There are more than 30 associations to keep you between Barcelona and Madrid and others in large points of sale like Valencia or Malaga. But this is not the only African group that gathers to fight for their rights and defend what they deserve. Little by little, the organizations of young people of African descent who want to learn about their roots, learn about the culture of their ancestors, and promote their knowledge to the rest of the society that is increasing. Groups with nationalist themes (only Nigerians, South Africans, Rwandans ...) or organized by neighborhoods of these big cities are also stepping up in the promotion of a joint struggle of which they are simply different legs.

Each component of these much needed associations has a reason to be part of them, but there are some points where they do not differ: "We must arm ourselves with education, unlike those who want to make us smaller. The main weakness of our community is often the lack of information about the legislation and functioning of the country to which they migrate and the possible solutions that can be found in our home in Africa." "Africa has great potential. It has everything, only this great social and human illiteracy has been the weapon that have taken advantage of colonizing peoples to snatch everything we have and make us believe that we are worth nothing." “In Europe there is a great project of dehumanization in society while in Africa we can still produce human development."

Finally, I would like to add some thoughts in line with this last affirmation. Just as the great powers have been wiping out Africa from time immemorial, and continue to wipe out their own continents, it is of utmost necessity that the great African warlords, mafiosi, rulers (who are usually the same person ) stop for a moment and begin to think about the great power that has its continent and on the unnecessaryness of succumbing to the money of the great powers. If they educate themselves, while educating their neighbors about Africa's ability to fend for itself through collaborative action, and respect for the immense environment around them, the situation would improve dramatically. The whole system would change dramatically. Since the great powers would see their interests reflected and try to change their own situation as well. There would be a domino effect that would end many of the great problems that plague capitalist society today. In Africa there are still hopes, since the insatiable capitalists are not yet as many as in the West. And for them to bring about change, we need to support them. Not from a paternalistic stance of "we are better than you and we are going to teach", but of signaling and constant support in a path that will be infinitely convulsive.