What the Desert Claimed, What the Earth Restored
Djougou, Benin – As the first light spreads across northern Benin, eighteen-year-old Aboubakar is already at work among the rows of cabbage he now calls his future. Moving carefully, he pulls weeds from the soil using only his left hand. Less than a year ago, a factory accident in Algeria took his right hand.
The soil Aboubakar tends today belongs to his father. After his return, his father entrusted him with a plot of land, giving him the chance to rebuild his life close to home. What began as a simple piece of farmland became the foundation for a new start.
In 2024, Aboubakar slipped away without a word.
As the eldest of five children, he carried the silent weight of his family’s debts. Believing he had to solve their problems on his own, and knowing his father would never allow him to make the journey, he left under the cover of darkness.
“I wanted to help my family,” he says. “I wanted my younger brothers and sisters to have a better life. I felt responsible for them.”
For his father, the sudden disappearance left a void that seemed impossible to fill.
“When I realized he was gone, my heart broke,” Aboubakar’s father says. “But this is the reality many families face. Young people believe they have to leave home to build a future.”
Aboubakar and his father stand together in front of the cabbage field they now cultivate side by side in Djougou. Photo: IOM/Rodrigue Combey Komla Fumey
It is a familiar story across Benin and much of the continent. Faced with limited opportunities and growing economic pressures, many young people set out in search of a better life. Drawn by promises of work and prosperity, they embark on dangerous journeys. Every border crossed carries new risks, and every step forward is a gamble.
Aboubakar eventually reached Algeria, where he found work in a small factory. The days were long and exhausting, but he persevered. For a time, he was able to send money home and felt he was fulfilling the responsibility he had placed upon himself.
Then everything changed.
“I was tired that day,” he says quietly. “The machine suddenly malfunctioned. I felt a sharp pain and when I looked down…”
Unable to continue, he lowers his head and wipes away tears.
The accident left him injured, undocumented, and alone. Without a formal contract, health insurance, or compensation, he quickly discovered how vulnerable he was. Overnight, the future he had imagined disappeared.
He was forced to confront the possibility he had feared most: returning home, dejected.
“I kept asking myself if it had all been worth it,” he says. “I left to help my family. Instead, I was coming back injured and dependent on others.”
Rows of cabbage grow on the plot Aboubakar cultivates in Djougou, providing both income and a fresh start following his return to Benin. Photo: IOM/Rodrigue Combey Komla Fumey
During this difficult period, another Beninese migrant told him about the International Organization for Migration (IOM). For the first time in months, Aboubakar felt that someone was listening.
“They treated me with dignity,” he says. “They helped me receive care and supported my return home. Most importantly, they helped me believe that my life was not over.”
When Aboubakar finally arrived back in Djougou, his arm still heavily bandaged, his father did not ask questions.
There was no anger.
No blame.
Only relief.
“The moment I saw him, I understood everything,” his father recalls. “He had left searching for a better life and returned carrying a heavy burden. But he was alive. That was all that mattered.”
Returning home marked the beginning of a different journey.
Aboubakar stands with part of the herd of oxen he received through IOM reintegration support, helping him rebuild his livelihood in Djougou. Photo: IOM/Rodrigue Combey Komla Fumey
With support from IOM, Aboubakar began rebuilding his life through agriculture and livestock rearing. His father gave him a piece of family land where he could start over. Day by day, he learned how to work the fields using only one hand, adapting techniques and finding new ways to accomplish tasks that had once seemed impossible.
The work is demanding, but it has given him purpose.
Today, neat rows of cabbage stretch across the plot he cultivates, and a small herd of livestock represents another source of income. Together, they offer something he once believed could only be found abroad: the possibility of a future.
“I no longer think about leaving,” he says. “My future is here.”
Standing among his crops, he hopes his experience will serve as a warning to others considering similar journeys.
“I am living proof that irregular migration can come at a very high cost,” he says. “I almost lost my life. I lost my hand, but I was fortunate enough to find a second chance when I came home.”
His father expresses the same sentiment in simpler words.
“Every parent wants to see their children succeed,” he says. “It is admirable that they want to support their families. But true wealth is having them alive and healthy. Aboubakar lost his hand, but we got our son back.”
Today, father and son work side by side in the fields of Djougou. The scars of the past remain, but they no longer define the future. Where uncertainty once pushed Aboubakar toward distant horizons, the land beneath his feet now offers stability, purpose, and a renewed sense of belonging.
Aboubakar received support through the With Youth programme, implemented by IOM and funded by Denmark. The programme aims to protect and support the reintegration of young sub-Saharan migrants, helping them rebuild their lives and pursue opportunities within their communities.
This story was written by Combey Comla Fumey, Communications and Visibility Assistant with IOM Benin.