Sadat’s story
Sadat is a 29-year-old Ghanaian man. He arrived in Italy in December 2016 and Progetto Itaca welcomed him as an asylum seeker. He decided to leave his country both because of poverty and safety reasons. A clan fighting for lands keeps going in Sadat’s area of origin. His dad died during these wars.
In January 2017, he requested for voluntary return assisted after her mother death. The functioning reference for return in Ghana is CIR (Italian Refugee Council). It immediately started the PIR (Individual Plan for Reintegration) and Bunisess Plan co-creation. The purpose is to create a local taxi driver business. At first, Sadat thought to set up a computer business that should have become an Internet cafè as his own future plan. However, after talking to some fellow countrymen, he considered safer a taxy driver business. He told us: “I chose this business because I believe that it could be successful. It will allowa me to take care of my family and me. Setting up a computer business in order ro provide information and letting people surfing the web would be my dreams comes true. Anyway, creating this business in Ghana would be quite difficult.”
Sadat took part consciously and comfortable with his decision in any step of the return procedure. The return became his only way to keep his family together.
Some questions for Sadat..
- Is the need to go back home borned in you? If so, how did you pick this choice?
“The choice was mine. My mother died and I have two sisters. The eldest is in the police force and she does not have time to take care of the youngest. Therefore, I would like to look after my little sister. Morevover, I had to face a difficult situation here in Italy. I had to wait for all the legal procedure, for having documents, for finding a job, etc.”
- How do you feel at the moment? Are you afraid or do you think to have failed coming back home? Or are you peaceful?
“No, I’m not afraid. In the past, I had some problems with my father’s lands, but I am not worried. I’ll return to my mother’s village. I am happy because I will see again y sisters and I will have the chance to take care of them.
I don’t feel like I failed. However, I had some expectations in this country before I came in Italy. Everybody had told me that the economic situation and working possibilities were better than African ones. Actually, living here, I’ve learned that nothing is so simple as it was described. I had to face lots of difficulties.”
- As far as your Plan for Reintegration concerned, how is it achievable?
“About 3000 euro is what I need for setting up a successful and earning business. I am starting with 1600, the half. I will start an humble but respectable project. I will see how it will go on.”
- What situation you will have to face?
“I hope that everything will be fine. As far as my personal work project concerned, I will be committed in making successful the taxi driver business. If it don’t work, I can always try to find a work as computer tech. I have other resources.”
- How are you dealing with the return?
“I am peaceful and I feel well in this moment. I happy to being able to come back home. I consider the voluntary return assisted as a good opportunity. The return is a good alternative given that I wasn’t able to create something else here in Italy.”
