Immigration
to a wealthier country offers the lure of a better life which might end up being
a façade rather than a reality. As an immigrant, I am thankful for the
opportunity of moving to Canada and the lure of a better life has become a
reality for me. However, I recently read Three
Strong Women and it reminded me that immigration is not always an escape to
paradise.
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| The Journey |
The
novel begins with the story of Norah, a lawyer and single mother to a young
daughter. Norah is a character who carries angst, bitterness, and resentment
towards her father. This is why. Norah’s father immigrated to France to study
where he met Norah’s mother. Together, they parented two daughters and a son.
When Norah’s brother was five years old, her father moved back to Africa with
her brother, leaving Norah, her sister, and her mother alone. Norah’s father returned
in pursuit of economic opportunities, however, his immigration separated his
family causing them immense pain. Norah struggled with the trauma of
abandonment and the loss of a sibling. Many families experience this pain when
family members migrate to foreign countries and for whatever reason are unable
to return to their families. Immigration can be disruptive to the family unit
causing lasting emotional and economic damage.
The novel continues with the
story of Khady Dhemba, a young widow who was sent off to Europe by her
husband’s family to find a distant cousin. Although the author does not
disclose the geographic locations, Khady’s excruciating journey most likely
resembled the Western
Mediterranean route that many refugee migrants follow. With this route, refugees
usually pass through Morocco and attempt to climb the Wall of Shame,
as it is infamously known. These walls are located in either Melilla or Ceuta- both
Spanish enclaves located in Morocco,
Northern Africa. In other words, they are constitutionally Spanish but
geographically Moroccan (Walls of Shame, 2016). The wall of shame is, in fact,
a double six-metre high barbed wire fence in Ceuta and a triple wall in Melilla
(Walls of Shame, 2016). In between the parallel fences, there are guards, heat
sensors, noise detectors, and infrared cameras monitoring activity between and
around the fences to ensure that no refugee makes it through (Walls of Shame,
2016). Khady, like many others, ended up lifeless at the feet of the fence; she
never did make it to the distant cousin in France. Khady’s fictional character
happens to be the reality of many illegal immigrants who lose their lives on
their quest to a better life. Immigrants who lack the knowledge or the
financial means to legally migrate find themselves in life-threatening
situations in search of the supposed greener pasture.
Fanta,
the cousin in France Khady never reached, was born in the Colobane district in
Senegal where she lived with her aunt and her uncle in austere conditions. She
struggled to receive an education, but eventually became a teacher at the Lycee
Mermoz, a school for the children of diplomats and wealthy entrepreneurs. It
was at the Lycee Mermoz where she met her husband, a French native. She moved
back to France with her husband in hopes of a better life than the one she had
known in Africa. She hoped that she would be able to continue her work as a
teacher, but to her disappointment, she remained unemployed. French employers
would not hire her. That is the unfortunate reality of many educated immigrants,
even in Canada. With their degrees and wealth of experience, they drive taxis and
clean office buildings, roles that are well below their skill level and
professional training. For many individuals, immigration fails to fulfill the
expectations and the dreams of a more prosperous life.
Although
immigration has the potential to positively change lives, we need to be aware
of the challenges it poses. These challenges include difficulty finding
culturally appropriate foods which can lead to adverse health implications, a
lack of acculturation which can result in social isolation, and the likelihood
of underemployment or unemployment which can unfavorably affect economic
empowerment. As a country that opens itself up to immigrants, we need to ensure
that families are not fractured as a result of immigration as was the case of
Norah, that the immigration process is accessible to more disadvantaged
individuals so that they don’t have to resort to dangerous means as was the
case with Khady, and that migrants can better integrate into the economy once
they do immigrate as with Fanta. Let’s make sure that this lure of a better
life ends up being a reality for many, rather than the façade it could become
for the less fortunate.
References
NDiaye, M. (2013). Three strong women. London, UK:
MacLehose.
Walls of Shame:
The Spanish-Moroccan border. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/general/2007/11/2008525183732945911.html
Olaitan Ayomide Ogunnote,
URA, ECVOntario, SEDRD, University of Guelph