In Lavapiès Square in Madrid, Baye Serigne breaks his fast with some friends, a daily ritual during Ramadan for this young Senegalese man, who finds "a little bit" of Dakar there and forgets the worries of an undocumented life.

Arriving shortly before sunset, he took advantage of the distribution organized for each month of Ramadan since 2018 by a group of Senegalese: on the menu that evening, coffee and a yassa beef sandwich, a specialty made from marinated meat and onions.

"It fills your stomach" after a day without eating or drinking, says the 23-year-old, who is experiencing his first Ramadan in Spain this year, far from his family.

For his iftar, the meal to break the fast, this mechanic leaves his accommodation center and heads to Lavapiès, a cosmopolitan neighborhood in the center of the Spanish capital, nearly an hour away by public transport.

Lavapiès Square, "is a bit like my Dakar, where you find the resourceful plans," explains the undocumented immigrant who arrived in Madrid in October.

- Unmissable event-

Like him, between 50 and 200 people gather there every evening to break their fast under the watchful eye of the police, says Aliou Badara Wagnan, one of the organizers of this food distribution open to all, Muslim or not, fasting or not.

"For those who have just arrived in Spain, it's very complicated. They are in shelters, they don't have the means to buy what they need or cook. We're simply trying to make sure everyone can eat," explains the 33-year-old worker.

For the first distribution in 2018, "there weren't even 30 people and now we can distribute up to 400 sandwiches!" he notes.

And today, its iftar has become an essential meeting place for members of the West African community, who take the opportunity to share their good ideas or discuss the disappointments of their daily lives as irregular migrants.

"I try to come every day. It feels good to have a happy time and forget about problems. We talk and laugh together," explains Assana, who did not want to give her last name.

A fisherman in Saint-Louis, a coastal town in northern Senegal, the 23-year-old is also experiencing his first fast away from his homeland. Each month, by working a series of odd jobs, he manages to earn a little over 1,000 euros.

"The biggest problem is not the work, but the paperwork," Assana assures.

Without permission to work, many young migrants like them, who cannot stay in their accommodation center during the day, wander aimlessly in Lavapiès.

"We don't do anything all day. If they gave me money to leave, I think I would," one of them confided.

- Positive vision of immigration -

Most, however, still hope to obtain regularization after risking their lives to reach the Canary Islands, one of the main gateways for migrants into Europe.

All those interviewed by AFP, aged between 18 and 30, crossed the Atlantic aboard precarious boats to reach the archipelago from the northwest coast of the African continent.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, 46,843 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2024, a record.

The hope for these young migrants? Spain needs "manpower," emphasizes Aliou Badara Wagnan, who has lived in the country for seven years. He sees this every day on his construction sites.

And Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez believes it too. The socialist, unlike most of his European counterparts, defends a positive vision of immigration, in which he sees a solution to Europe's economic problems and its aging population.

Spain also posted growth of 3.2% in 2024, driven in particular by tourism and the increase in its population, supported precisely by immigration.

So many elements that give Baye Serigne hope for "a future" in the country, where he is now seeking training.