Just 16 kilometres north of Banjul lies Jinack, a small island community increasingly associated with irregular migration to the Canary Islands. Over the past year, several migrant boats have departed from its shores, including one that capsized and another that disappeared without a trace. Indeed, the tragedies have left many families grieving and raised concerns about the growing role of the island as a departure point for migrant smugglers. In this report, WADR’s Sankulleh Janko travelled to Jinack to explore why this community is used as a departure point, why young people continue to risk the dangerous Atlantic journey, the impact on the community, and what residents say is needed to create opportunities at home.