In the coastal city of Mbour in Senegal, many children are growing up with painful memories after their parents disappeared during dangerous migration journeys across the sea toward Europe.
One of them is Fallou, a young boy who says he became quiet after losing his mother in a boat accident while she was trying to reach Europe. Another child, Sokhna, continues to suffer nightmares after her father vanished during a migration trip.
The children are often described as “those who remain” — the sons and daughters left behind when migrant parents die or disappear at sea. Many families are forced to live with uncertainty, especially when no bodies are found and there is little information about what happened.
According to Saliou Diouf, founder of the migrant support association Boza Fii, the number of missing migrants and affected children in Senegal has reached thousands in recent years. The organization works to preserve the memories of migrants who lost their lives during irregular migration journeys.
Many migrants from Senegal continue to risk dangerous sea crossings in search of jobs and better opportunities in Europe. Over the years, the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands has become one of the world’s deadliest migration paths.
Families left behind often face emotional suffering, financial hardship, and social difficulties. Grandparents and relatives frequently take over the responsibility of raising children after parents disappear during migration attempts.
Mental health experts and migrant support groups say children who experience such losses can suffer long-term emotional effects, including trauma, anxiety, fear, and depression. However, access to counseling and support services remains limited in many communities.
The growing migration crisis continues to affect not only those making the journeys but also the families and children left behind in countries like Senegal.