Lightup Foundation Advocacy Work On Irregular Immigration
Lightup Foundation engaged in advocacy with the Catalonian Government following the Melilla killings. In 2022, the tragic deaths of over 30 migrants and asylum seekers during a crowd rush at the Melilla border between Spain and Morocco prompted Lightup Foundation to take immediate action. Lightup reached out to the Catalonian government and the United Nations Association of Spain to explore ways
Engagement With African Refugees In Barcelona
Lightup Foundation was invited to witness the signing of a new agreement between the Catalonian government and UNICEF aimed at protecting young immigrants from Africa on Friday, 23rd September 2022.
Lightup Foundation honoured organisations advocating for the Rights of young African migrants in Spain. To motivate the persons / organisations working to support the irregular migrants, on the 25th of September 2022, Lightup organised an award presentation session to honour Helena Maleno, a world-renowned human rights activist in Barcelona, in recognition of her remarkable Humanitarian work. She fights for the rights of young black migrants and their families, bringing migrants on drifting boats to safety. Her organisation, Walking Borders, was also given an award of honour in recognition and appreciation of its work towards saving the youths of Africa.
Olasubomi Gives Award of Honour to Helena Maleno
Lightup Foundation established the Creating Awareness and Alternative Mission (CAA Mission) on Irregular Migration. After visiting Catalonia, Lightup was deeply concerned about the plight of irregular migrants in Spain and in other places where many of them found themselves stranded, or unable to work after suffering untold hardships and dehumanization in their bid to cross into Europe. Lightup therefore established a network called Creating Awareness and Alternatives Mission (CAA Mission) to Create Awareness and Provide Alternatives in selected African countries whose youths are most susceptible to irregular Migration. CAA Mission was launched at a well-attended event in October 2023.
Launching of the Creating Awareness and Alternatives Mission
Within a year of inaugurating the CAA Mission, Lightup has worked with African youths to establish youth representation for the CAA Mission in 25 African countries already. Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Morocco, South Sudan, Gambia, Uganda, Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ghana, Egypt, Guinea, Zambia
Several Awareness Activities Have Now Commenced Within These Africa Countries
With the collaboration of the Catalonian government, Olasubomi and her team recently concluded a detailed research work on irregular migration with a study sample from 120 irregular migrants within Catalonia. The objective was to understand factors driving the young migrants to embark on the journey, assess the social economic status of migrants’ parents/prospects of their geographical locations
