By Nelson Manneh
Buba Saidykhan, a Gambian youth who once risked everything on the perilous back way journey to Europe, is now striving to establish a multi-faceted skills training centre in Farato Village, Kombo North.
Despite facing financial struggles, his goal is to equip young Gambians with practical skills to deter them from attempting the dangerous migration route.
A Journey of Struggles and Survival
Like many other young Gambians, Saidykhan graduated from Gambia Senior Secondary School with excellent results. His ambition was to become a nurse, and he was shortlisted for enrollment at the Gambia College. However, he was unable to pursue his dream due to financial constraints.
“I was alone at home, with nowhere to go and no clear future. My life was in disarray, and the only solution I saw was to embark on the back way journey,” he said.
Lacking financial support, Saidykhan worked his way across multiple countries, eventually reaching Libya. His journey took two years, during which he endured torture, imprisonment, and the harsh realities of migration.
“I spent more than eight months in different prisons in Libya. I was subjected to inhumane conditions—sleeping on the streets, working without rest, and enduring sleepless nights. When the International Organization for Migration (IOM) offered deportation, I had no choice but to return home,” he recalled.
A New Beginning in The Gambia
Upon returning, Saidykhan faced a difficult reintegration. He received no financial support from IOM, despite their promises. Many saw him as a failure, including some family members who struggled to accept him.
Determined to rebuild his life, he started working as a waiter, where he learned cooking and bartending. Later, he enrolled at the Gambia Hotel School, secured a job at Coco Ocean Hotel, and acquired additional skills in painting, wallpaper installation, and recycling.
A trip to Dakar, Senegal exposed him to recycling techniques, particularly waste transformation.
“I saw amazing work being done, but they weren’t using vehicle tires. I was eager to learn, so I paid for the training and acquired the skill,” he said.
The Birth of Saidykhan Skills Training Centre
With a passion for skills development, Saidykhan founded The Saidykhan Skills Training Centre, the first skills training hub led by a back way returnee. It began with 15 Gambians, six of whom were also returnees.
“We started with a summer camp, training youths in waste separation, decoration, wallpaper installation, plastic bottle recycling, and upcycling vehicle tires into furniture,” he said.
Currently, the center trains 60 young people in entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, networking, decoration, recycling, and basic computer skills. Even security personnel and teachers participate, and the training is entirely free.
Financial Struggles and a Call for Support
Despite its impact, the center operates without government or private sector funding.
“All our students receive free training. We rely on small contracts to sustain operations, but resources remain a challenge. I have written to various institutions for support, but none have responded,” he lamented.
Saidykhan remains committed to expanding his initiative to all regions of The Gambia. “I want to provide young people with skills to prevent them from risking their lives on the back way. But this can only happen if we receive the necessary support,” he concluded.
As he continues his journey from hardship to empowerment, Saidykhan stands as a beacon of hope for Gambian youth, proving that resilience and determination can turn despair into opportunity.
