28-year-old Baba Sissoko left Mali for Italy where he eventually found a job and a new life. His experiences of the past few years are nothing short of a profound transformation. But they also came at a cost.
Baba Sissoko's journey towards a new life began in 2015 after a long series of challenging migration experiences. Driven by a desire for independence and dignity, he started making his way to Europe in 2015, alongside a friend he met during his journey from Mali.
Now residing in Tuscany, he has secured a job at a local bakery, and is embracing a newfound sense of autonomy.
That pathway to Italy was far from being straightforward: Baba encountered a myriad of challenges during his two-year stay in Libya. Despite the hardships he endured, his determination and resilience only grew stronger as he moved forward on his quest for finding a better life in Italy.
Helping people to help themselves
Once he reached his new home of Certaldo, a Tuscan city near Florence, he was taken under the wings of a local migrant project at ANCI Toscana (the National Association of Italian Municipalities), taking part in a local pilot initiative. The particular group he worked with focused on the integration of migrants in the local culture, labour market, and society.
Maurizio Cei, project manager at ANCI Toskana, highlights the transformation that Baba has undergone:
"Throughout these years, I have seen him grow extensively, and the support he has received has been crucial to becoming the man he is today," says Maurizio, recalling Baba clutching a notebook en route to his first Italian class.
Home - at last
Baba eventually was able to find his place in the workforce, and got a flat to rent with his friend, Baradji.
Access to adequate and affordable housing is instrumental to successful integration, but is frequently undermined by xenophobia and discrimination amid a political climate marked by high unemployment rates and job instability in Italy.
The Tuscan chapter of ANCI, supported by the IOM in Italy, is actively engaged in tackling such pressing challenges, helping migrant get access to essential services. Their primary focus is on addressing housing issues.
The initiative specifically targets migrants who lack reliable social support networks, even if they are employed. These housing challenges arise from a combination of factors including migratory status, the availability of social connections, high housing and rental costs, and social dynamics including mistrust and discrimination.
When everybody wins
With the help of ANCI and the IOM, the issue of accommodation is being addressed today at the local level through collaboration between institutions, non-profits, and volunteers.
Such a multidimensional approach was evident also in Baba's case, as his employers themselves helped him in his search for an apartment.
Baba's story is a testament to the positive impact of housing and inclusion of migrants into the workforce.