Then aged 15, Moustapha decided in 2015 to board a boat with other compatriots to reach Spain in order to build a better life. “I arrived in Algeciras (Cádiz) with the intention of being able to join my brother in Cuenca, where he lived,” he tells ABC. The young man was able to go to Castile-La Mancha where he was taken care of in a reception center for minors run by ACCEM, an NGO which supports refugees, migrants and people at risk of social exclusion.
“They took very good care of us… They taught us the Spanish language and gave us lessons on everything,” he says, admitting to having difficulty adapting to this new life. The young man took courses at the IES Fernando Zóbel in Cuenca and, at the age of 18, he was integrated into the empowerment program for young people in difficult situations in Castilla-La Mancha, financed by the regional government and managed by the ‘ACCEM.
To read: From Morocco to Spain: three young Moroccans recount their integration
Today, at 24, Moustapha is at the end of his engineering cycle in industrial electronics. A journey made possible thanks to this program which provides financial assistance, tutoring and psycho-educational support to beneficiaries. “Without the help of the Administration, it would have been completely impossible to access university,” says the young man who currently lives in Ciudad Real. The young Moroccan is impatient to find himself on the job market, after so many adventures, suffering and efforts.
Moustapha did not fail to provide advice to young Moroccans who, like him, express the desire to leave the kingdom. “The first thing is to train yourself and be a good person, and know what you want in life. If you want to travel, you have to be clear about your objective. Everything is not as simple as it seems or as it is described to us.” The Moroccan also denounces racism and xenophobia. “Luckily, I haven’t had any problems with discrimination. […] Everyone has the right to a life with dignity. Tomorrow, the migrant could be anyone.”
