The Backway: A Bad Way for the Gambian Youth 

By Dr. Ebrima N. Badjie

I am Dr. Ebrima N. Badjie, a Gambian who has lived and worked in different countries, such as Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the United States. I have a PhD in Computer Science and I am the author of several books, such as “The Gambian Dream: How to Achieve It”, “The Gambian Culture: How to Preserve It”, and “The Gambian Youth: How to Empower Them”. I am also the founder and director of the Gambian Youth Development Initiative (GYDI), a non-governmental organization that aims to provide education, training, and opportunities for the young people of the Gambia.

I am writing this article to address a very serious and urgent issue that affects the Gambian youth: the backway. The backway is the term used to describe the illegal and dangerous journey that many young Gambians take to reach Europe, hoping for a better life and a brighter future. They risk their lives by crossing the Sahara desert, the Mediterranean Sea, and the borders of various countries, facing hunger, thirst, heat, cold, violence, exploitation, and death. Many of them never make it to their destination, and many of those who do face discrimination, hardship, and disappointment.

Why do the Gambian youth choose the backway? What are the factors that drive them to take such a perilous decision? How can we stop them from using the backway and make them realize the value and potential of their own country? These are the questions that I will try to answer in this article, based on my personal and professional experiences, as well as the information and data that I have gathered from various sources.

The main factor that motivates the Gambian youth to use the backway is the lack of opportunities and prospects in the Gambia. The Gambia is one of the smallest and poorest countries in Africa, with a population of about 2.4 million and a GDP of about $1.8 billion. The unemployment rate is high, especially among the youth, who make up about 60% of the population. The education system is inadequate and underfunded, producing graduates who are not equipped with the skills and knowledge that are needed in the modern world. The health system is also poor and inaccessible, resulting in high rates of mortality and morbidity. The political system is unstable and corrupt, limiting the freedom and rights of the citizens. The social system is also dysfunctional and oppressive, imposing rigid norms and expectations on the youth, especially the women.

The Gambian youth are frustrated and disillusioned by the situation in their country. They feel that they have no future and no hope in the Gambia. They are influenced by the media and the internet, which show them a glamorous and prosperous image of Europe. They are also influenced by their peers and relatives, who have used the backway and send them money and pictures of their new lives. They are deceived by the smugglers and the traffickers, who promise them a safe and easy passage to Europe. They are desperate and determined to escape the Gambia and pursue their dreams in Europe.

However, the Gambian youth are not aware of the reality and the consequences of the backway. They are not aware of the dangers and challenges that they face on the way, and the difficulties and disappointments that they face in Europe. They are not aware of the fact that the backway is not a solution, but a problem. They are not aware of the fact that the backway is not a way to a better life, but a way to a worse life.

The backway is a dangerous and deadly journey that costs the lives of thousands of young Gambians every year. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 20,000 Gambians have used the backway since 2014, and more than 2,000 have died or gone missing. The backway is also a costly and wasteful journey that drains the resources and the potential of the Gambian youth. According to the World Bank, the average cost of the backway is about $3,000, which is equivalent to about 10 years of income for an average Gambian. The backway is also a humiliating and degrading journey that exposes the Gambian youth to abuse and exploitation. According to the United Nations, many of the Gambian youth who use the backway are subjected to torture, rape, slavery, and organ trafficking.

The backway is also a disappointing and regretful journey that does not fulfill the expectations and the aspirations of the Gambian youth. According to the European Union, the Gambian youth who reach Europe face many challenges and barriers, such as legal, linguistic, cultural, and economic. Many of them are denied asylum and deported back to the Gambia, or forced to live in the margins of society, without rights or dignity. Many of them are unable to find jobs or education, and end up in crime or drugs. Many of them are unhappy and homesick, and wish they had never left the Gambia.

The backway is a bad way for the Gambian youth. It is a way that leads to death, not life. It is a way that leads to loss, not gain. It is a way that leads to shame, not pride. It is a way that leads to misery, not happiness.

The Gambian youth need to stop using the backway and start using the right way. The right way is the way that leads to life, not death. It is the way that leads to gain, not loss. It is the way that leads to pride, not shame. It is the way that leads to happiness, not misery.

The right way is the way that makes the best use of the opportunities and prospects that exist in the Gambia. The Gambia may be a small and poor country, but it is also a beautiful and rich country. It has a diverse and vibrant culture, a peaceful and tolerant society, a democratic and progressive government, and a resilient and resourceful people. It has a lot of potential and possibilities, especially in the fields of agriculture, tourism, trade, and technology. It has a lot of opportunities and prospects, especially for the youth, who are the future and the hope of the country.

The Gambian youth need to realize the value and potential of their own country. They need to appreciate and celebrate the Gambia, not despise and abandon it. They need to contribute and participate in the development and progress of the Gambia, not drain and undermine it. They need to stay and work in the Gambia, not flee and waste it.

The Gambian youth need to learn and acquire the skills and knowledge that are relevant and useful in the modern world. They need to seek and access the education and training that are available and affordable in the Gambia, such as the programs and courses offered by the GYDI and other organizations. They need to apply and utilize the skills and knowledge that they have learned and acquired in the Gambia, such as the projects and initiatives that are supported and funded by the GYDI and other organizations.

The Gambian youth need to create and pursue their own dreams and goals in the Gambia. They need to identify and explore their talents and passions, and use them to make a positive difference in their lives and in the lives of others. They need to set and achieve their own standards and expectations, and use them to measure their success and satisfaction. They need to be proud and confident of themselves and their achievements, and use them to inspire and motivate others.

The Gambian youth need to be the agents and the leaders of change and transformation in the Gambia. They need to be aware and informed of the issues and challenges that affect the Gambia, and use their voice and power to address and solve them. They need to be active and involved in the affairs and decisions that affect the Gambia, and use their rights and responsibilities to influence and shape them. They need to be the role models and the mentors for the younger generations, and use their experience and wisdom to guide and support them.

The Gambian youth need to be the champions and the ambassadors of the Gambia. They need to be the ones who promote and protect the image and the interests of the Gambia, both at home and abroad. They need to be the ones who showcase and share the culture and the values of the Gambia, both with their fellow Gambians and with the rest of the world. They need to be the ones who love and serve the Gambia, both with their hearts and with their actions.

The Gambia is our country. It is our home. It is our identity. It is our destiny. We cannot and we should not abandon it. We can and we should improve it. We have the power and the potential to do so. We are the Gambian youth. We are the Gambian dream.