Around 2,000 sub-Saharan migrants have established a makeshift settlement on Playa de El Trampolín in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta [1].
The situation highlights the growing humanitarian challenge in the North African enclave as migrants create their own infrastructure to survive while seeking entry into Spain.
The shoreline has transformed into what observers describe as a "mini-city" following 18 days of massive entry into the region [2]. This provisional settlement includes improvised structures designed to meet basic communal and spiritual needs. Among these installations is an improvised mosque, where residents gather for prayer [2].
Beyond spiritual spaces, the camp has developed functional areas to manage daily life. The migrants have set up containers for storage and organized hair-cutting stations to maintain hygiene [2]. These organized efforts suggest a transition from a temporary landing point to a structured, albeit precarious, community.
The influx of people has forced the population to rely on both self-organization and external aid. The Red Cross has begun distributing food to those remaining on the beach to mitigate the risk of hunger [1].
Ceuta, located on the coast of North Africa, frequently sees surges of migrants attempting to cross into the European Union. The current scale of the settlement at Playa de El Trampolín reflects the intensity of the recent movement [2]. The makeshift nature of the city, built from available materials and containers, underscores the lack of formal housing for those arriving in the enclave [2].
“The beach of El Trampolín has turned into a makeshift “mini-city””
The establishment of a 'mini-city' with spiritual and hygiene infrastructure indicates that migrants no longer view their stay in Ceuta as a brief transition. This shift toward permanent-style improvised settlements suggests a systemic bottleneck in processing arrivals, forcing displaced populations to build their own social safety nets on public beaches.
