Turning the tide of irregular migration, 43 youths are empowered to start their own businesses in various income generating trade such as welding, fashion designing/sewing, and catering, under the Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM) project in Edo State. These businesses were launched on 16 & 17 November 2016 in different local government areas of the state – Igarra Community in Akoko-edo, Ekpoma in Esan West and Iguobazuwa Community in Ovia South West Local government areas.

The project also supports Nigerian and Niger nationals who return from Libya, after trying to enter Europe, for many, by improving the economic opportunities in their countries of origin. IOM Nigeria and Niger are providing assistance in the form of economic empowering initiatives(group reintegration)to youth in the community who are susceptible to irregular migration as well as reintegration assistance for returning nationals and community projects to enable them to rebuil their lives and empower their communities. The project is designed to reduce the negative impacts of irregular migration, to foster stability and community development.

“The road is no longer safe. It is better for us to stay at home and empower ourselves” says Eromosele Ivy one of the beneficiaries of “reintegration” component of the migration resource and response mechanism project. He is one of those Nigerian migrants that returned from Libya. He had spent 18 months in Libya where he was arrested on so many occasions before returning home. “If this [skill acquisition] centre had been established earlier I would not have taken the risk I took. With this project we can use our brain to make money here at home” he said at the launch of the ICT center through the MRRM project in Ekpoma, Edo State.

In Igarra community in Akoko-Edo local government, IOM built and equipped a skill acquisition center (ICT center) and handed it over to the community based on the request of the community leaders and their youths. The initiative was the outcome of needs assessment that was carried out during the planning of the project in Edo State. At the center, the youth are trained on the use of ICT for income generating purposes so as to discourage them from irregular migration.

“Economic instability is sometimes uncontrollable. However, what we can control is raising awareness in our community of the perils of irregular migration, to equip our community both children and adults with the necessary tools to be able to achieve economic empowerment; to be able to build something at home rather than risk the dangers encountered during irregular migratory routes to both neighboring countries and Europe,” says Sara Hamo AVRR Programme Manager on behalf of IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission Enira Krdzalic while handing over the center to the King (Otaru) of Igarra Community.

Also in Iguobazuwa community of Ovia South local government area, selected classrooms in a primary school were renovated, burglary proof doors and windows were installed for security and equipped with class room chairs and desks by IOM. It is part of the long term strategy of the project to enlighten the young ones through education, before they become exposed to the inherent danger associated with irregular migration across the Sahara desert.

This project is jointly funded by DFID and the EU. DFID is funding the community development component of the project while the EU is funding the group reintegration component.

For the news click https://nigeria.iom.int/sites/default/files/newsletter/Press%20Release%20on%20MRRM%20Project%20in%20Edo.pdf