The child who travelled 3,500 miles ALONE just so he could go to school: African boy, eight, flees Jihadists, crosses the Sahara, escapes slavery and jail then reaches Italy in a boat in epic solo journey – to fulfil his dream of an education in Europe

When jihadists attacked Oumar’s hometown in western Mali four months ago, he simply fled in the hope that he would find a safe place at a new school.

But after trekking across the Sahara and even spending time in prison, the eight-year-old ended up 3,500 miles away in Italy – all in the pursuit of an education in Europe.

Now Oumar has been photographed for the first time since his grueling journey, albeit with a cast on his right foot due to a broken heel he sustained along the way.

The eight-year-old was separated from his family for four months during the attack on his village near Tambaga.

But instead of turning back, Oumar kept walking, across the Sahara.

He has a cast on his right foot due to a broken heel he sustained along the way

Oumar left his small village near Tambaga in western Mali four months ago. He then traveled on foot across the Sahara before sailing to Italy

However, this was just the first challenge along the way.

Once in Libya, Oumar was captured by a Libyan gang who forced him to work as a welder and painter.

He eventually broke free from his captors and attempted to sail across the Mediterranean to Europe in a rubber boat.

But his boat was seized by the Libyan coast guard and he was thrown into the infamously brutal battle The Ain Zara prison in Tripoli.

Oumar was then smuggled out of prison in a garbage bin by two adults, eventually reaching the coast at Zawiya, just outside Tripoli, to board a second rubber boat.

There he boarded another dinghy, together with an older boy – also named Oumar – who recognized him from prison and looked out for him for the rest of the journey.

The pair accompanied 23 other children and about 60 adults on the perilous sea journey to Europe.

After being adrift in the Mediterranean for days, the two Oumars thought they were being taken back to Libya when they spotted a coast guard boat.

He walked across Africa and spent time in prison after twice boarding a rubber boat in an attempt to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe (stock photo)

After the grueling journey, he was able to call his father, whose number he had memorized, to tell him he was okay (stock photo of migrants arriving in Greece)

But it was the NGO rescue boat Ocean Viking and the boys and the rest of the boat’s crew were eventually rescued safely.

The boat had just responded to another floating migrant ship from Libya, killing about 60 to 100 people.

Angela Nocioni, an Italian journalist who was on board the lifeboat at the time, told The Telegraph: ‘He is a wonderful child. When he told me his story, I made every effort to confirm all the details.

“Every survivor on the dinghy told me, ‘It’s true, he’s all alone.’

When Oumar was picked up by the lifeboat, he did not want to leave Angela’s side and appeared to be suffering from dehydration, hunger and hypothermia.

The older Oumar confirmed that the younger Oumar had been completely alone since Ain Zara prison.

When the Ocean Viking finally docked at the seaport of Ancona on Italy’s northeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, the two Oumars held hands as they walked off the boat.

Oumar’s first rubber boat was captured by the Libyan coast guard and he was thrown into Tripoli’s notoriously brutal Ain Zara prison (stock photo of migrants 12 nautical miles north of Libya)

Tripoli is a dangerous city where fighting regularly takes place between rival militias (stock photo)

The couple then hugged and parted ways. When the younger Oumar arrived at the local recreation center for processing, a mediator from Mali was waiting.

Director Alessandro Fucili, director of the migrant center in Ancona, told the newspaper that Oumar said both his parents were still in Mali.

Oumar said he could memorize his father’s phone number and Mr. Fucili then gave him his phone to call.

His father replied and Oumar told him he was in Europe before asking, “Can I go to school, Dad?”

Doctors checked Oumar and it became clear that his body had been through a lot, with scars and a broken bone in his heel that required a cast.

Mr. Fucili called him “very intelligent” and said he was “very courageous.”

He said the center tried to find him a place at a local school, along with other migrant children.