A man looks into the distance on the beach of Bab al-Oued, in Algiers, on Sept. 12, 2024. (Credit: Khadija Adda-Rezig)
In the heart of the Kasbah market, the voices of Hisham and Naoufel stand out amid the commotion. The young men, aged 17 and 19 respectively, run a spice stall in this Algiers neighborhood. One is still in school, and the other dropped out at 14. Their plan of hrag — literally "to burn" the borders — they almost shout about. Both want to leave the country illegally aboard a makeshift boat. As customers are scarce, they said that job opportunities "do not exist" in Algeria. In the country, the unemployment rate hovers around 12 percent and the minimum wage for a 40-hour work week is 20,000 dinars, barely $150, according to the National Statistics Office. The two teenagers dream of Europe. More specifically, France, influenced by videos of compatriots who crossed the Mediterranean and shared an appealing daily life in...
In the heart of the Kasbah market, the voices of Hisham and Naoufel stand out amid the commotion. The young men, aged 17 and 19 respectively, run a spice stall in this Algiers neighborhood. One is still in school, and the other dropped out at 14. Their plan of hrag — literally "to burn" the borders — they almost shout about. Both want to leave the country illegally aboard a makeshift boat. As customers are scarce, they said that job opportunities "do not exist" in Algeria. In the country, the unemployment rate hovers around 12 percent and the minimum wage for a 40-hour work week is 20,000 dinars, barely $150, according to the National Statistics Office. The two teenagers dream of Europe. More specifically, France, influenced by videos of compatriots who crossed the Mediterranean and shared an appealing daily life...
