Tareke Bhrane was born in Eritrea but fled at age 17 to avoid forced military conscription for life. He faced death, violence and imprisonment while crossing Sudan and Libya, and his first attempt to cross the Mediterranean was rejected. At the end of 2005, Tareke reached Sicily, and has since dedicated himself to helping others who have had to flee unbearable situations. He lives in Rome where he helps to asylum seekers and is president of the 3rd of October Committee, a non-profit dedicated to gaining national and European recognition for migrants who die at sea.