07/10/2026
Gambian Refugee Who Took the Backway Earns a Degree While Helping Others
Malick Ceesay left Kiang Masembey in 2015 and reached Italy by the perilous Backway route, arriving as a refugee with no formal schooling—only the informal learning known as “Morri Karango.”
In Milan, he began studying Italian the same year. While working as a social worker supporting other refugees, he kept studying. He has now graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Educational Science.
His path from an undocumented journey to a university qualification shows what persistence can achieve. Ceesay’s work with newcomers also turns his own experience into practical help for others still finding their footing in Italy.
