« I was really worried about going back to Mali but OFII kept all their promises »
| Adama Diara is a young farmer who decided to leave his home region of Koulikoro and set off for Europe in 2007. He hoped that he would find a job and thus be able to offer his family some financial support. | Unfortunately, during the four years he spent in Spain, he only found a few temporary jobs infarms in the province of Almería and then found himself unemployed for two years. |
In despair, Adama decided to continue his journey by moving on to France. He went to live in Sevran-Beaudottes and then in Aulnay-sous-Bois, both in the Paris region, and began working ina cattle, poultry and sheep farm. His situation was still highly precarious; he fell ill and ended up losing his job so, after spending eight months convalescing he had nothing left of his savings.
As he was still in pain, Adama wanted to go back to Mali. That was when he decided to get in touch with OFII - “I told them that I wanted to do something in market gardening and livestock breeding and that I had a plan”, he tellsthem.
After a few negotiations, an agreement was reached. OFII decided to meet the cost of his trip back home and supported him through the process of reintegrating by setting up a business - so a budget is being paid to him in three instalments to help him to get his farm plan up and running. “The first payment meant that I could buy some sheep, some tools, what I needed to build a fence and a motorbike so that I could get about. (…) now I'm independent!”
Adama is now 33 and is working with his brothers in his farm. He also plays football with his friends, tends his garden and enjoys nature. One day he would like to extend his plan and start selling the produce he grows himself. “I was really worried about what’d happen once I got home, but OFII kept all its promises”, he says, with a smile on his face.
