Name: Stephen

Age: 33

Native country: Ghana

Family: Parents dead in a car accident. 2 sisters in Ghana.

Landing: September 2014 - Lampedusa (Sicily)

I had to escape from my country because of an unlucky episode in which i was responsible for a car accident where a child died.  I didn't even see him. I just realized it because all people around me on the street wanted to kill me.

I quickly tried to grab the child and bring him at the nearest hospital, but people were so angry and wanted to punish me, so they actually avoided any kind of first aid.

He was still alive when i had to run away, maybe i could have save him. But after a while i got updates and i was told that he sadly died. But i'm not a murderer.

To save my life, my family forced me to leave and they put me on a car, heading to Libya. I had to leave everything i had: family and friends.

Once arrived in Libya i got rubbed and kidnapped; thieves asked for a ransom of a lot of money to my family to let me go, but i fortunately was able to escape and run away. After several months of doing some random works like building houses or any other kind of services, i finally was able to embark myself and head to Italy.

The journey was about 2 days, the boat was pretty fast and we didn't get lost as it happens to many other migrants on the Mediterranean sea.

Now i just go around with my bike looking for some goods into the garbage, especially clothes for me and my friends at the camp in Mineo.

I like Italy. I would love to stay here and find a job.