Nkansah’s 15-Year Journey in Europe: From Libya Struggles to Life in the Netherlands
Nkansah, a Ghanaian who has been living in the Netherlands for the past 15 years, is currently based in Amsterdam Sartos. In an interview with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show, he shared the ups and downs of his journey abroad.
According to Nkansah, life changed drastically when he became an undocumented immigrant. He stopped making friends because many people mocked him behind his back for not having proper documents, even though they pretended to sympathize with him in person.
Back in Ghana, Nkansah hails from Apam. After schooling there, he embarked on the risky Libya route to Europe since he couldn’t afford a visa or plane ticket. Crossing the desert, he said, was no child’s play. He was arrested in Libya and spent three weeks in jail before being released through the help of a Libyan man he worked for. The man also warned him about an impending war, which pushed Nkansah to join a boat to Italy.
In Italy, he stayed in a camp in Crotone for six months. He explained that prison life was bearable compared to detention centers, where he once almost got deported due to a mistake during his schooling. Luckily, he was freed, and later a kind man offered him a house to live in for free for one and a half years.
Nkansah eventually managed to secure his documents (nkrataa), allowing him to return to Ghana multiple times. In his 15 years in Europe, he has been back home four times and managed to start some projects in Ghana.
Despite having two children before leaving Ghana, he admits life abroad has not been stable. He cannot easily bring others over and only has limited work opportunities with the documents he currently holds. He also shared that a past relationship caused him stress, but he remains hopeful that his current attempt at settling down will work out.
“I have slept in prison three times,” Nkansah revealed, underscoring the struggles he has endured throughout his migration journey.
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