“I’ll Make It to Europe, Or Die Trying”

Mauritania, like other African countries, offers a desperate future. Residents age with a fatalism born of a failed education system, joblessness and constant violence. Any endeavor to escape is a testament to the human spirit, and many pin their hopes on a treacherous Atlantic journey to Europe. The risk often ends in death or disappointment as patrols from Europe capture makeshift boats, rerouting them back to a coast of misery. Thousands from other African nations converge on the Mauritania coast to make the chance. Official channels of immigration to Europe are less dangerous, but equally unreliable. With an overwhelming number of people who want to leave Africa, officials routinely deny visas. For wealthy nations, unchecked immigration raises political and economic concerns. But in Africa, immigration is undeniably a human-rights issue – with people willing to risk everything for opportunity, no matter how fleeting or remote that may be. – YaleGlobal