“BOZA” means victory in several West African dialects. It is a cry of joy used by those who have managed to reach their goal: storming the fortress of Europe.
Driven by war, violence, hopelessness, and poverty in their home countries, more and more young people from Africa are embarking on a dangerous journey to Europe. Their destination is the promised land of Europe. Often, these people are sent off by their own families, who have sold all their possessions to enable a son or daughter to make this journey in the hope of improving the family’s future. Many of the migrants suffer under the enormous pressure imposed on them by their families. Returning home is not an option, because they would then be considered failures. There is only Europe or death.
Many have been stranded in Morocco for several years, waiting for an opportunity to climb over the fences at Ceuta or Melilla, or to find a place on one of the small boats heading to Spain. In the process, they are hunted by the Moroccan police and repeatedly deported to the south of the country or to Algeria, where they are abandoned on the streets without shoes, money, or food. The cycle starts all over again.
