The gateway to the Sahara - The dangerous way from Africa to Europe

In Mali, the city of Gao is a gateway to the Sahara. Thousands of people from all over Africa pass through Gao: those heading for Europe and those forced to turn back. Both groups stop at a special place here, that exists just for them: the "House of the Migrant”.

For decades, Gao has been an important transit point for migrants on their long journey to Europe. But the Malian city in the Sahel region has also become a refuge for those whose dream of migrating to Europe has ended and find themselves forced to turn back. Their paths converge in one place: the "House of the Migrant".

The House of the Migrant welcomes hundreds of people every year. They include the intrepid, who try tirelessly again and again, as well as those who are setting out for Europe for the first time. The migrants come from all over Africa: Mali, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Angola, Senegal. This house with the colorful walls welcomes them all, along with their fears, sadness and hope.

Esther and Kady are 15 and 16 years old. The teenagers from Burkina Faso stop at the house to gather strength for their onward journey north. They make friends with Natacha, a migrant who has lost all hope of reuniting with her relatives. The three of them form a kind of family and share moments full of joy, hope and caring. But for Esther and Kady, a different journey is in store than the one that confronts many other migrants, whose paths are so often marked by failures and traumatic experiences.