Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria, 11 June 2024 (IOM)* – Frederick could barely hold back tears as he recounted his story. Six years after his return, he is still healing from the trauma of his experience in Libya.

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Blessing, her husband and her young boy are in their apartment in Benin-City, Edo State. Despite the hardship she’s endured in the past few years, she’s rising above the odds to start afresh. Photo: IOM/François-Xavier

Having sold all his possessions to fund his trip, Frederick had nowhere to go. Frederick was selected to participate in a multidisciplinary coaching programme providing psychosocial support, technical and vocational training, as well as entrepreneurship orientation organized by IOM in collaboration with various State and civil society actors including the Edo State Skills Development Agency, also known as Edo Jobs.

The programme combines technical and life skills to empower returning migrants to reintegrate more sustainably.

In addition to business skills such as e-commerce, digital marketing, sales, graphic design, and financial management, which are essential to operate thriving small businesses, returning migrants like Frederick and Blessing also receive psychosocial counselling and coaching to boost their self-esteem, and help them face the stigma that is often attached with returning home “empty-handed”.

“We have understood over time that financial support is just the first step towards sustainable migrant reintegration,” explains Wintana Tarekegn, who leads IOM’s Sub-Office in Benin-City.

“This is why we’re working with partners and advocating for more comprehensive interventions that equip returning migrants with the business, emotional and social skills they need to sustain their emotional well-being, but also guide them to make the right decisions in the future,” she adds.

Since the launch of the project in December 2022, over 145 returning migrants like Frederick and Blessing have graduated from various training programmes and successfully rebuilt their lives.

“Today, my child has grown, and he is going to a good school now. I got married. I did the traditional marriage, the court and white wedding,” says Blessing. “I couldn’t be happier; God has been faithful!”

The Managing Migration through Development project is implemented in Edo State with the support of the Directorate General for Italian Citizens Abroad and Migration Policies of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. For more information, visit nigeria.iom.int.

This story was written by François-Xavier Ada, IOM Nigeria’s Public Information Officer. 

*SOURCE: IOM. Go to ORIGINAL: https://storyteller.iom.int/stories/healing-invisible-scars-journey-rebuild

2024 Human Wrongs Watch