Young Ghanaians risk all for "better" life

加纳年轻人干冒一切风险谋求“更好的”生活

Some migrate within Africa while others take the risky route to Europe

一些人选择非洲内移民而其他人冒险前往欧洲

By Efam Awo Dovi

Every week, in the Brong Ahafo Region — one of Ghana’s major food baskets — vehiclesload up withmen between 18 and 40 years old. Many, mostly the younger men, hope to reach Europe, while others head for more prosperous countries in Africa. Irrespective of their final destination, they have common aspirations: hopes of good jobs and better lives for themselves and the families they leave behind.

每周在加纳最大的粮产地之一的布朗阿哈福地区，车辆上满载着18到40岁的男子。许多人（主要是其中相对年轻的男子）希望去欧洲，而其他人想去相对繁荣的非洲国家。不考虑他们最终的目的地，他们有共同的目标：找到一份好工作，争取让自己和家人过上更好的生活。

Kofi Twum made that tripyears ago. He was only 18 and had lost his father at an early age. His mother, a subsistence farmer, became the sole breadwinner of the family. When Twum completed junior secondary school, he hawked yams to help his mother. But their living conditions worsened and Twum, fifth among six children, felt the need to work elsewhere.

科菲特武姆多年前就踏上了这一旅途。当时他只有18岁，然而他很小的时候就失去了父亲。他的母亲只是一名糊口农民，却成为了家里唯一的经济来源。读完初中特武姆就帮母亲卖甘薯。可是，他们的生活条件却变得更糟。作为家里六个孩子中的老五，特武姆感到有必要在外地工作谋生。

“I wanted to go to Italy to be able to support my mother,” Twum toldAfrica Renewalfrom his home in the town of Nkoranza in northern Ghana.

“我希望去意大利工作从而为妈妈分担家庭负担”在加纳北部恩科扎纳镇的家中特武姆告诉《非洲振兴》的记者。

In 2014, with financial support from his brother, Twum joined a group of 35 young men on a journey through the Sahara Desert to Libya, where they were to take a boat to Europe.

2014年，特武姆在哥哥的经济支持下加入了35个年轻男子的队伍开始了从撒哈拉沙漠到利比亚的旅程。他们将从利比亚坐船去欧洲。

However, hopping a crowded boat out of Libya on his third attempt to cross the Mediterranean, he was arrested anddeportedto Ghana. He arrived empty-handed. Twum, now astreet preacherin his 30s, tellsAfrica Renewalthat he still hopes to make it to Europe one day, this time by some other route.

然而，当他第三次试图渡过地中海满怀希望地乘着拥挤的船离开利比亚时，他却被逮捕了，并被遣送回加纳。他空手而归。三十多岁的特武姆现在是一名街头传教士，他告诉《非洲振兴》他仍希望有朝一日能去欧洲，而这次他会走其他的路线。