Story of a strong women who migrate

Nissrine jeune marocaine de la 3e session a pris la parole lors de la conférence sur la place de la femme en Méditerranée, le 7 avril 2025 à La Cannée. Elle nous partage son témoignage et l’expérience d’une jeune migrante. 

Texte non-traduit.

« Today, I want to take you on a short journey across borders and across lives, as we look at Migration in Mediterranean and i will speak for Morocco, a country that for decades, has been shaped by movement: of its people leaving, of others arriving, and of many just passing through.

I saw that migration is not only a reality in Morocco but in many Mediterranean countries. On the boat, I met people from different nations it was my first time encountering such diversity, and it opened my eyes to how widespread this journey is.

Since years ago, Morocco has seen large waves of its citizens emigrating, especially to Europe. It began with labor agreements with countries like France, Spain, italy … 

Mainly leaves for economic reasons: to seek better jobs, income, and a future for their families. But others leave for education, family reunification.

But Morocco It has also become a destination Many migrants and refugees have chosen to stay, start families, and build lives there. The government and organisations help a lot the migrants to have access to healthcare, education, and work. That helped a lot migrants to be integrate. 

 I want to you to close your eyes and listen to a story of a strong women who migrate with her big brother by passing a long road i want you to live with this story to feel it not just to hear it  :

« I tell you my story not just as a Moroccan Women of 20 years old, but as someone who walked through hell and survived.

My journey to Europe wasn’t taken on a plane, or with papers, or comfort. I crossed borders on foot with my big brother through Turkey, Greece, Serbia, and beyond… all the way to Spain. Every step of that journey was a fight to stay alive.

We walked endlessly, through forests, rivers, and mountains, sometimes in complete darkness. I still hear the sound of shots in my head gunfire from soldiers aimed at migrants like us. That fear never really leaves you.

At one point, we ran out of water. We were so desperate that we searched the map to find any source. What we found was a dirty puddle, full of insects. But we had no choice. I took my scarf, folded it between the bottle and the water to try and stop the insects from getting in, and we drank. It smelled awful but when you’re dying of thirst, you do things you never imagined.

I saw people’s feet rotting from days of walking. One man was forced to surrender himself to the authorities because his leg had become severely infected and needed to be amputated by a doctor. And the worst thing… the most heartbreaking moment… was seeing two people die on the road. Other migrants buried them right therebecause if they didn’t, dogs would eat their bodies.

Can you imagine? Their families will never know what happened to them. They will keep waiting. They will never know that their loved ones are buried somewhere in a nameless forest, far from home.I lived through all of this for the simple hope of a better life. Like many others, I believed the dream people posted online that life in Europe was easy, full of money and comfort. But most of the time, that’s just not the truth. Behind those pictures are people cleaning houses, working 15 hours a day, living in fear of being caught, or worse.

I’m not ashamed of what I went through. I’m proud. I am strong.

But I share my story so you understand that migration is not just a word, it’s pain, it’s trauma, it’s survival. And it’s a reality for so many like me »

You see now what many migrants go through… This is just one story, but there are thousands like it stories full of pain, loss, fear, and incredible strength.

When migrants arrive in your country, they carry all of that with them. Trauma doesn’t disappear at the border. So please don’t judge them. Don’t look away. If you can help, do it. A kind word, some guidance, even just respect it means more than you can imagine.

Let’s be the kind of people who make someone feel safe again.

Hand in hand, we make a stand, for peace, for hope, across the land.

Thank you »

Nissrine.