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Monique (aged 28) left the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2014 to South Africa and then moved to Italy.
Monique left the Democratic Republic of Congo because of local violence. As a consequence, her family has been separated and first she moved with her sister to South Africa where she received refugee status. Afterwards, because of job insecurity she fled to Italy, where she is still under humanitarian protection. At the moment, she is unemployed, while studying and taking care of her small child.
During the interview, she declares that her family was disrupted and uprooted because of forced migration: « I miss my friends and mostly the food (from home), I mean you can’t get that kind of food, fresh food like that in any other place in the world than home… (…) The cassava leaves, si! That’s like my favourite! I like cassava leaves and it’s different, it’sjust different, when you are just back home is different. It is totally different ».
The object that best represents her migration experience is a bag with African prints that she got from her mother before they were separated and that she has been bringing with her across the migration journey from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa, and then Italy. The bag reminds her of her mother.
Interview conducted by Paolo Ruspini on 28.07.2022 in Varese, Italy
To cite this interview, Ruspini, Paolo (28 July 2022). Interview of Monique (from Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa and then Italy). Varese, Italy (length: 1:01mn).