Christmas arrived early for an unemployed Senegalese migrant in Spain. Identified only by his first name, Ngame, he won 400,000 euros (around Rs 2.9 crore) in the country’s annual Christmas lottery on Wednesday, The Guardian reported. The 35-year-old was rescued by the Spanish coastguard eight years ago when traveled to the country from Morocco in a packed wooden boat.

Ngame, who lives with his wife in the southern city of Roquetas de Mar, told a local newspaper, “I just can’t believe this. I can tell you that on some days we do not have five euros between the two of us.” He added that the couple has been working in farms or as vegetable pickers in greenhouses since moving to Spain. He also recently lost his job at one of the greenhouses, he said.

The lottery, known as “El Gordo” or “The Fat One,” is ranked as the world’s richest. It has handed out more than two billion euros this year.