Gambiaj.com – (Essau, The Gambia) – On the grounds of Essau Senior Secondary School last Saturday, students, parents, and community leaders gathered for an urgent dialogue on a matter that continues to claim young lives and destroy dreams: irregular migration. The event, part of an advocacy campaign spearheaded by the Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC) in collaboration with civil society organizations, featured prominent voices calling for grassroots action.

Delivering a powerful keynote address was Ousman A. Marong, General Manager of Niumi FM and Country Coordinator for the Mediterranean Foundation for the Survival of African Migrants (MFSAM).

Marong, who also chairs the Journalists’ International Forum for Migration (JIFORM), drew attention to the human cost of irregular migration, emphasizing that the statistics represent real people—mothers, fathers, and youth who are often fleeing hardship in pursuit of dignity.

“Many are lured into dangerous situations by smugglers and traffickers,” Marong said. “The promise of a better life turns into a nightmare.”

But the speech was not merely a litany of horrors—it was a call to solutions rooted in community action, awareness, and sustainable opportunity.

Marong urged a shift in narrative and policy: “We must advocate for policies that protect the rights and dignity of all migrants. Migration should be a choice, not a necessity.”

Building Local Solutions

The advocacy campaign, which targets Barra and Essau—communities known for high emigration rates—aims to empower youth with knowledge and alternatives.

MAJaC and its CSO partners are working on public information campaigns, school-based outreach, and radio programs through local stations like Niumi FM to spread awareness about the dangers of irregular routes.

Community members were encouraged to invest in youth education, vocational training, and employment creation—solutions seen as more effective than mere deterrence.

“Education and opportunity are our best tools,” one participant remarked. “We must create a future worth staying for.”

Marong called for compassion-driven storytelling and the rejection of dehumanizing language often used to describe migrants. “They are not threats—they are dreamers, builders, and contributors,” he said.

He further urged journalists to report responsibly and policymakers to rethink border policies that treat migrants as criminals rather than individuals in need of protection and opportunity.

In closing, Marong emphasized unity and compassion over division and fear. “Let us commit ourselves to a world where no one is forced to risk everything just to survive.”

The campaign continues in surrounding communities with a blend of media engagement, school outreach, and policy advocacy—marking a local but critical front in the global conversation on migration.