Thomas Fessy met some of the migrants trying to make it to Europe
Thousands
of African migrants are stuck in the Nigerien town of Agadez - the
gateway to the Sahara - as they battle to fulfil their dream of reaching
Europe. The BBC's Thomas Fessy met some of them during a visit to the
town.
This is nothing like what Vivienne expected."I thought I would find a job here," she says.
"I came here because of the conditions I found myself in Nigeria. I had just finished my secondary school but my Dad doesn't have money for me to study. I just want to continue north, make money and make my family proud."
Vivienne, who declined to give her surname, says she is 23. She looks younger but it is impossible to verify her age.
Last month, she took a bus ride of about 240km (150 miles) from Kano, the main city in northern Nigeria, to Zinder, Niger's second city, and from there another bus to Agadez, a town about 370km away.
Dusty alleyways She arrived in Agadez with big dreams. Instead, desperate to reach Europe, she is now selling herself to men.
"I've searched. There is no job," she laments, rolling her mobile phone between her hands.
Smugglers make a fortune out of migrants
The market attracts many people to Agadez
Vivienne's home does not even have doors
One of the rooms does not have a door. Nor does the other, but there is a curtain hanging, at least.
“Start Quote
Vivienne Nigerian sex-workerI am not happy with the job I am doing, but it's the only way I can survive”
The place is littered with open
condom packets, used ones were thrown onto a pile of trash that the
women burn every now and then just a couple of metres away from their
doorstep.
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