Moroccan Teen’s Journey: From Ceuta Streets to New Life in Vigo

Now 17 years old, Ayoub quickly learned Spanish upon arriving in Ceuta. He is one of the unaccompanied foreign minors (MENA) who were transferred last July from the reception center in Ceuta to Vigo. "In my country, I couldn’t do anything. There was no work, there was no future, I had to leave," he told Atlantico.

The young man recounts his difficult journey. "You cross the border, and you find yourself alone, you don’t know anyone..." he specifies, remembering the days spent sleeping outdoors. He also has a bad memory of his stay in the Ceuta center. "There, we didn’t have more than three minutes to take our shower and there were no clothes," lamented the young man.

He says he feels "much better" in Vigo where he was transferred in July with other minors. He now lives in a center run by the Berce association and has already started "looking for work" to earn money and help his brothers and sisters who remained in Morocco. For now, he is taking mechanics courses. Despite the current difficulties, Ayoub prefers to stay in Spain. "I won’t go back to Morocco," he said.

The managers of the Berce center confirm that he is a respectful and determined young man. "He is an introverted person, but he follows the rules," explains Noelia Turnes, head of the Berce center. In a few weeks, Ayoub will be 18 years old and should leave the center, but the deadline can be extended depending on the situation of each minor, the manager assures, stating that the minors benefit from comprehensive care.