What needs to be done
A paragraph (from the Greek paragraphos, "to write beside" or "written beside") is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. A paragraph consists of one or more sentences. Though not required by the syntax of any language, paragraphs are usually an expected part of formal writing, used to organize longer prose.
Chapter 1
From Home to Algeria
I grew up in Douala, a port city in Cameroon which is the economic centre of the country. My wife and I were blessed with three children - they’re now 18, nine and the youngest is just three. Like so many people in Africa, earning enough to give your family what they need is hard, and work can be unstable. So eight years ago I decided to do what millions of others have done before and since, and travel to find enough work to earn money to support my family.
This image has a caption
I decided to head for Algeria. Lots of Africans have gone north with the goal of reaching Europe. But with a family in Cameroon I didn’t want to do that. I found what I considered to be the safest route, and travelled nearly 5,000km from Douala to Nigeria, through Niger and eventually into Algeria.
Once there, I headed towards the Mediterranean coast and set myself up in a city called Oran. It was well-known as a multicultural city - outsiders felt tolerated there. I found somewhere to live, got a job, and then worked hard and saved money.
This image has a caption
Four years ago I took a good job in Maghnya in the Tlemcen region, about a two-and-a-half hour drive away. The work was in construction, and although I was a foreigner, I did well in the job.
I was well respected and got a position as co-ordinator of the building site, in charge of hiring workers. I was paid regularly, and the money was good - it was enough for me and the family at home.
My employer, however, never signed an employment contract with me, even though I kept asking him to, and this meant that I couldn’t get a residency permit.
This video has a caption
There’s a degree of racism everywhere, and this is true in Algeria too, but I didn’t let it worry me too much. When the prime minister announced that all migrants living in Algeria needed to be registered, I dutifully went along to the police stations both in Maghnya, where I was working, and in my weekend home, Oran.
However attitudes changed when the current prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, came to power in 2017. Oil prices had fallen and the authorities started blaming immigrants for the country’s economic woes. This really encouraged the growth of racist attitudes, and even in Oran black people like me started hiding at home and not going out. I didn’t realise though just how bad things would get.
Chapter 2
The Arrest
I grew up in Douala, a port city in Cameroon which is the economic centre of the country. My wife and I were blessed with three children - they’re now 18, nine and the youngest is just three. Like so many people in Africa, earning enough to give your family what they need is hard, and work can be unstable. So eight years ago I decided to do what millions of others have done before and since, and travel to find enough work to earn money to support my family.
This image has a caption
I decided to head for Algeria. Lots of Africans have gone north with the goal of reaching Europe. But with a family in Cameroon I didn’t want to do that. I found what I considered to be the safest route, and travelled nearly 5,000km from Douala to Nigeria, through Niger and eventually into Algeria.
Once there, I headed towards the Mediterranean coast and set myself up in a city called Oran. It was well-known as a multicultural city - outsiders felt tolerated there. I found somewhere to live, got a job, and then worked hard and saved money.
This image has a caption
Four years ago I took a good job in Maghnya in the Tlemcen region, about a two-and-a-half hour drive away. The work was in construction, and although I was a foreigner, I did well in the job.
I was well respected and got a position as co-ordinator of the building site, in charge of hiring workers. I was paid regularly, and the money was good - it was enough for me and the family at home.
My employer, however, never signed an employment contract with me, even though I kept asking him to, and this meant that I couldn’t get a residency permit.
This video has a caption
There’s a degree of racism everywhere, and this is true in Algeria too, but I didn’t let it worry me too much. When the prime minister announced that all migrants living in Algeria needed to be registered, I dutifully went along to the police stations both in Maghnya, where I was working, and in my weekend home, Oran.
However attitudes changed when the current prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, came to power in 2017. Oil prices had fallen and the authorities started blaming immigrants for the country’s economic woes. This really encouraged the growth of racist attitudes, and even in Oran black people like me started hiding at home and not going out. I didn’t realise though just how bad things would get.
Chapter 3
Forced Out
I grew up in Douala, a port city in Cameroon which is the economic centre of the country. My wife and I were blessed with three children - they’re now 18, nine and the youngest is just three. Like so many people in Africa, earning enough to give your family what they need is hard, and work can be unstable. So eight years ago I decided to do what millions of others have done before and since, and travel to find enough work to earn money to support my family.
This image has a caption
I decided to head for Algeria. Lots of Africans have gone north with the goal of reaching Europe. But with a family in Cameroon I didn’t want to do that. I found what I considered to be the safest route, and travelled nearly 5,000km from Douala to Nigeria, through Niger and eventually into Algeria.
Once there, I headed towards the Mediterranean coast and set myself up in a city called Oran. It was well-known as a multicultural city - outsiders felt tolerated there. I found somewhere to live, got a job, and then worked hard and saved money.
This image has a caption
Four years ago I took a good job in Maghnya in the Tlemcen region, about a two-and-a-half hour drive away. The work was in construction, and although I was a foreigner, I did well in the job.
I was well respected and got a position as co-ordinator of the building site, in charge of hiring workers. I was paid regularly, and the money was good - it was enough for me and the family at home.
My employer, however, never signed an employment contract with me, even though I kept asking him to, and this meant that I couldn’t get a residency permit.
This video has a caption
There’s a degree of racism everywhere, and this is true in Algeria too, but I didn’t let it worry me too much. When the prime minister announced that all migrants living in Algeria needed to be registered, I dutifully went along to the police stations both in Maghnya, where I was working, and in my weekend home, Oran.
However attitudes changed when the current prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, came to power in 2017. Oil prices had fallen and the authorities started blaming immigrants for the country’s economic woes. This really encouraged the growth of racist attitudes, and even in Oran black people like me started hiding at home and not going out. I didn’t realise though just how bad things would get.
The Testimony
There’s a degree of racism everywhere, and this is true in Algeria too, but I didn’t let it worry me too much. When the prime minister announced that all migrants living in Algeria needed to be registered, I dutifully went along to the police stations both in Maghnya, where I was working, and in my weekend home, Oran.
However attitudes changed when the current prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, came to power in 2017.
This image has a caption
This really encouraged the growth of racist attitudes, and even in Oran black people like me started hiding at home and not going out. I didn’t realise though just how bad things would get.