In the past few years, it has become quite trendy to organise treks across wild and remote places like the Sahara. Often this is done for charity, the participants being sponsored to take the trip which promises a "win-win" scenario; they get the trip of a lifetime and money goes to a good cause. I've always been somewhat uncomfortable with this format of fundraising for a number of reasons.

This BBC news article about the desperate journey of African immigrants across the Sahara in search of peace, security or just a better way of life stands in sharp contrast to the well-organised and insured-to-the-hilt charity journeys. It's where the journey of some of those we meet in the UK, and those our colleagues meet in Greece and Italy will have begun.

If you are in the UK, you can watch the tv programme Panorama: Europe or Die Trying, BBC One, Monday, 14 September at 2030BST. Alternatively, there are a couple of short clips linked to the news article.