Belgium's state-run migrant shelters are saturated
A lack of available spots in state-run shelters left asylum seekers Fazal, Ukunde and Pascal with nowhere to go. NGO-operated shelters offer them refuge for now.
marlene panara
Leprince: 'Sometimes it's harder here in Cyprus than in Cameroon'
Leprince* fled Cameroon for Cyprus, where he landed by plane in 2019. Since then, he has started a family but the living conditions of asylum seekers on the island make their daily life very difficult. The young Cameroonian admits to sometimes "being on the verge of suicide".
'Either we die from the cold, or we drown in the sea': Despite Channel drownings, migrants determined to cross
Four people died after their boat sunk in the middle of the Channel on December 13. Undeterred by this latest tragedy, migrants in the Loon-Plage camp in northern France are determined to reach the English shore.
Maïmouna's tale: 'Returning home from Libya, I was so scared of my family's judgment'
Maïmouna, a 33-year-old Ivorian, always dreamed of starting her own business in the Ivory Coast. Lacking funds, she decided to migrate to Europe to work. She hoped the money she'd earn could enable her to return home to realize her dream and help her family. But the journey through Libya, marred by kidnapping and imprisonment, killed all her hopes.
Studying in France: What bursaries and scholarships are there?
For young refugees and migrants in France, studying can be expensive. The lack of resources can hinder their academic career, and even threaten their graduation. But there are bursaries available. InfoMigrants provides an overview.
Samia, an Algerian in northern Serbia: 'The next step is Hungary but the children are tired'
Samia first left Algeria with her two small children to join her husband in Turkey. Together, they then took the Balkan route with the goal of reaching France, where Samia's sister lives. The family is now stuck in northern Serbia, where they are waiting to cross the Hungarian border.
Serbia: On the Hungarian border, smugglers 'control everything'
Crossing the northern border of Serbia is one of the most difficult stages for migrants on the Balkan route because of double fences, barbed wire, cameras and the risk of violent pushbacks. Migrants here often resort to the services of smugglers whose control in the region is omnipresent. Marlène Panara reports from northern Serbia.
'Police come for us at night': Belgrade, a crucial but hostile layover city for migrants on the Balkan route
Serbia's capital Belgrade serves as a layover for many migrants on the Balkan route. However, the hundreds of Syrian, Afghan or Moroccan migrants passing through every day only have two accommodation options: an overcrowded and remote camp, or the streets and parks of the city.
'I can't imagine the future' – Ajabana, 'exhausted' after nine months of detention in Libya
Ajabana* was arrested last January while demonstrating outside an administrative center of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the Libyan capital. Since then, he has been locked up in the notorious Ain Zara prison. He described the nightmarish experience to InfoMigrants.
Rwanda: 'promised land' for refugees turns out to be a mirage
Rwanda has carefully crafted an image for itself over the course of several years as the country of reception preferred by refugees from all over the world. In contrast to the laudatory articles by a padlocked local press, the reality of asylum seekers on the ground is far bleaker than it seems.
'I look for him 24 hours a day': The story of Ryad, whose brother disappeared at sea
A little over a year ago, Skander, 21, boarded an inflatable boat on a beach in western Algeria, headed for Spain. Since then, there has been no sign of life from the young man and 11 other passengers. Skander's older brother Ryad, who stayed in Algeria, spends his days and nights looking for him.
Poverty, restrictions, censorship: What's driving Egyptians to head for Europe
Since the beginning of the year, 4,154 Egyptian migrants have arrived on the shores of Italy. This represents a threefold increase compared to the same period last year. Confronted with an economic crisis and wide-spread repression at home, they consider leaving Egypt by boat as their only option.