Among the 628 refugees who arrived Pozzuolo, Sicily this morning was Miriam, a 17-year-old orphan girl escaping her native Gambia, who crossed the desert and the sea on her own. She told the Doctors Without Borders her story.
Her mother died when she was a small child and her father was taken to prison and never heard from again. He is presumed dead ecause he opposed the current regime in Gambia Miriam had no choice but to take what the call the Hell Road between AgDez in Nigeria and Libya. At Baransate she was the only girl. "They brought me to stay in an abandoned house with 17 other men. We waited there for the voyage to Tripoli for about three days. The first night our driver raped me. He offered me money but I refused. He made me sleep with him. I was afraid, he was armed and I was alone. I had no choice, if I had remained in Gambia my life would have been in danger. I left to look for protection and salvation. During the journey I lost everything. They stopped us at various checkpoints, undressed us and searched my private parts to take all that I had. I lost everything, at night I can't sleep, help me."
Her mother died when she was a small child and her father was taken to prison and never heard from again. He is presumed dead ecause he opposed the current regime in Gambia Miriam had no choice but to take what the call the Hell Road between AgDez in Nigeria and Libya. At Baransate she was the only girl. "They brought me to stay in an abandoned house with 17 other men. We waited there for the voyage to Tripoli for about three days. The first night our driver raped me. He offered me money but I refused. He made me sleep with him. I was afraid, he was armed and I was alone. I had no choice, if I had remained in Gambia my life would have been in danger. I left to look for protection and salvation. During the journey I lost everything. They stopped us at various checkpoints, undressed us and searched my private parts to take all that I had. I lost everything, at night I can't sleep, help me."