Life in Malta is tough, but drugs and alcohol will not solve your problems, a young refugee is urging fellow migrants as he attempts to help them rebuild their lives.
“Some migrants feel disoriented and helpless. They lose hope, develop mental health issues such as depression and turn to drugs or even commit suicide.
“No one chooses to be a refugee and migrants actually flee because they are afraid of death. But once they land here some of them are driven to kill themselves,” Ahmed Nuur Ibrahim told this newspaper.
“It is especially hard for those who have been here for 15 years and are still without protection. The pressure escalates for those without a job whose friends manage to work and send money home to support their relatives,” the young Somali added.
Mr Nuur Ibrahim leads African Media Association Malta, whose first project was a radio programme for African migrants. This year the NGO will continue being a media source on migrant issues while lobbying to improve migrants’ lives.
However, it is also launching a new project called Good Behaviour, which consists of raising awareness among migrants about their rights and obligations.
A woman wearing a hijab was recently assaulted by a man who tore her veil away and threw it in the rubbish
Mr Nuur Ibrahim first gets in touch with community leaders of different nationalities to discuss the most pertinent issues, and then meets the members of the community at popular meeting points such as Birżebbuġa, Marsa and Ħamrun.
Most migrants have similar problems and often fall into depression, so Mr Nuur Ibrahim holds talks about the risks of substance and alcohol abuse.
“We also brief them about basic laws and encourage them to regularise their position when seeking a job. It is very difficult to get a legal job, but we know of people who work for months and do not get paid and since they are working illegally, they cannot report their employer.”
Mr Nuur Ibrahim noted that most migrants do not hear back from prospective employers when they go through the legal channels. Seeking legal employment is especially difficult for women who have to wear a veil.
“Discrimination levels are currently high, so we have started encouraging people to report abuse. Humiliating words such as ‘monkey’ are often thrown at migrants minding their own business.
“Others are punched or have glass thrown at them, while a woman wearing a hijab was recently assaulted by a man who tore her veil away and threw it in the rubbish.
“The other day my friend tried to defend himself and the aggressor actually accused him of starting a fight. He lost his job over this incident. Migrants feel intimidated when filing reports, and when they do, they are not believed, so they just don’t bother.”
Still, the NGO is trying to empower migrants and Maltese and English language classes are also in the pipeline.
Mr Nuur Ibrahim believes that knowing the country’s language is “key to integration and respect from the locals”.
Unfortunately, migrants cannot afford to pay for language classes, so the NGO is planning on organising lessons in collaboration with the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers.
The NGO needs funds and volunteers for this project, and those who would like to lend a helping hand can e-mail Mr Nuur Ibrahim on africanmediamalta@gmail.com.