Crossing the Sahara on the centuries-old caravan route running through the desert still takes three or four days, especially if you have to hide from robbers and police, if your driver leaves you stranded in the middle of a sea of sand, or if you run out of water along the way.

Index travelled to one of Africa's poorest countries, Niger, where everybody who wants to make the crossing from Africa to Europe gathers. We talked to people smugglers, we entered the secret ghetto of migrants, and we embarked on the journey across the desert. The world we saw was quite different from the image of Africa and migration painted by populist leaders in Europe.

Watch our report from the Sahara desert here:

Our report was made possible by the assistance from UNHCR and MRG. We borrowed the sturdy camera we used from Rexfilm Kft.