Jamila Afelom recalled identifying her daughter, Fatin Ben Homar Azizi, solely by a necklace she had given her. Afelom discovered Fatin’s body in a hospital a day and a half after her failed attempt to swim from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
Afelom, speaking from the city of Tétouan, emotionally recounted the tragedy that unfolded in late July. She described Fatin as bold, determined, and somewhat tomboyish, highlighting her love for soccer. Fatin’s coach, Adel El Kaab, remembered her fondly as a younger sister and expressed his sorrow over her loss.
Despite warnings about the risks of irregular migration routes, Fatin and her friends, including teammate Fatima, ventured to Ceuta in pursuit of a better future in Europe. Tragically, Fatin lost her life in the attempt, leaving her family devastated.
Afelom, a single mother who works at a cemetery, shared her struggles to provide for her family in a challenging economic environment. Fatin, driven by a desire to lift her family out of poverty, had a strong determination to reach Europe.
The Moroccan human rights organization AMDH reported a significant number of deaths during the mass migration to Ceuta at the end of July. Fatin’s family searched tirelessly for her, eventually finding her body in Fnideq. She was laid to rest in the same cemetery where she and her mother had worked together.
As the family copes with the loss of Fatin and worries about the surviving children in Ceuta, the harsh realities of youth unemployment and the allure of a better life in Europe continue to shape the aspirations of many young Moroccans.
