Dreams of Glasgow: an Eritrean refugee’s story

Sonny had only been in Rome three days and despite severe weather warnings he and his friends were fixated with one thing – to keep going. They had survived the Sahara, prison in Libya, and the treacherous Mediterranean, snow was not going to hold them back from reaching family in other parts of Europe.

The boys said they wanted to get an education in Europe with extended family and not grow up to be soldiers in Eritrea. They had been hanging out around Roma Tirbutina station where a Unicef/intersos mobile unit had spotted them during their outreach visits and told them they could go and stay at the 24 hour centre where they would get help, a warm bed, good food, and care.

Sonny goes on to the internet to check his Facebook – that’s how he and tens of thousands like him navigate their way to a form of freedom. He’s the oldest of his family and a bright, streetwise boy, quick as a whip to pick up new tricks.

Officially, under EU Dublin Rules, states must offer protection to a person at risk, like Sonny. Greece and Italy are the on the frontlines where children must seek asylum but few want to stay.

In theory if there is a family connection in another member state, they then can apply to be relocated.

But that’s on paper. In reality, time is the enemy of these children.

They don’t trust the system in Europe to recognise them as children. They see a system that punishes them, that makes it tough as a warning to others not to dare follow.

For now, great dangers lie ahead for Sonny as he continues on his improbable mission overland to Scotland.

On the next step of his already arduous short life in pursuit of another life, another beginning, the hardest part may still lie ahead. ● Sarah Crowe is a Unicef senior communications adviser based in Geneva.