1. Home
  2. West Africa
  3. Gambia

Since you've been gone: the families migrants leave behind

Mohammed Lamin quit his job, borrowed money from his brother, and left the Gambia for Europe via the “back way” - the highly dangerous overland route to Libya through the Sahel, and then on to Europe on a smuggler's boat. Here he is arriving in Italy. Jason Florio/MOAS/IRIN
Mohammad Lamin arrives in Italy after leaving the Gambia for Europe via the “back way” - our new special feature explores the story of the family he left behind.
Every migrant who sets out on a journey leaves behind a family.

Our natural focus is on the odyssey, and the crisis that drives people from their homes. But migration is much more than just about people fleeing conflict or seeking asylum. It affects many more people than those actually on the move and navigating hostile borders. Those left behind, out of the media spotlight, also carry a burden – both financial and emotional – in supporting loved ones on their journey.

This special feature focuses on two such families.
Share this article

Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join