SFIDE

CHALLENGES - Support, training and entrepreneurship in Dessie, Ethiopia

Promoting socioeconomic inclusion of returnees and migrants through the provision of training, credit and psychological support in Ethiopia.

500

returnees and potential migrants receive specific vocational training

100,000

community members are involved in awareness-raising initiatives on irregular migration in Ethiopia

civil servants are trained in the prevention of irregular migration

A project that promotes the employment of young Ethiopian returnees and potential migrants through the provision of vocational training, psychological support and credit access programmes.

TO PREVENT IRREGULAR
MIGRATION IN ETHIOPIA

BACKGROUND

ETHIOPIA'S MIGRANTS
AND RETURNEES:
A FRAGILE COMMUNITY
MAINLY MADE OF WOMEN

In Ethiopia, the South Wollo area is among those most affected by the phenomenon of irregular migration: the migrants - both outgoing and returning - are mainly women and aged between 18 and 30 years old, but there is also a significant component of minors. As documented by numerous studies, those who migrate face dangerous journeys, exposing themselves to kidnapping for extortion, robbery, physical and sexual assault and even death: more than 70% of Ethiopian returnees have suffered extreme forms of physical and psychological abuse. Contrary to what migration propaganda portrays, many migrants do not live in better economic conditions than before their departure and returnees often suffer from significant psychological problems related to the trauma they experienced during their migration.

OBJECTIVES

STRENGTHENING THE INDEPENDENCE OF RETURNEES
AND POTENTIAL MIGRANTS
IN ETHIOPIA

SFIDE (CHALLENGES) is a project active in South Wollo, Ethiopia, to contribute to the prevention of irregular migration, to the job placement and to the psycho-social well-being of returnees, through awareness-raising actions, vocational training activities, provision of credit and psychological support. Specifically, the project objectives are:

the reinforcing of the capacities of 8 Public Authorities (PAs) and 20 Civil Society Organisations of the target territories, in order to facilitate the social and labour integration of people at risk of irregular emigration and remigration;
the promotion of job integration and business creation for 250 returnees and 250 young people aged between 16 and 29 at risk of irregular migration.

HOW WE WORK

TRAINING AND AWARENESS-RAISING FOR RETURNEES, AUTHORITIES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES

TRAINING AND AWARENESS-RAISING
FOR RETURNEES, AUTHORITIES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES

In order to best support Ethiopian returnees and potential migrants, the project includes several activities dedicated to the beneficiary groups (migrants and returnees - especially women - , local authorities, youth, and communities at risk of migration). Specifically, activities include:

training for returnees and migrants, with courses on Life Skills and Workplace Skills, scholarships, individual coaching to accompany beneficiaries to job placement, internships and job grants;
training for local authorities and employment center employees, through ToT (Training of Trainers) courses on soft skills, management and financial skills, "Scale-up" training, PC software and equipment, public agency-business consultation tables;
community awareness, with training of 10 teachers in schools and TVET, information sessions on regular migration, events within the Migration Information Center and 10 radio episodes.

RESULTS

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
IN ETHIOPIA TO PREVENT IRREGULAR MIGRATION

The project has so far enabled the implementation and expansion of numerous activities for beneficiaries, thanks to the many partnerships set up, the involvement of the authorities, schools and the local community. 235 returnees and potential migrants participated in vocational training courses with specific skills on sheep farming and textile sector. 87 beneficiaries have been trained in transversal skills for entrepreneurship and have obtained funds to start up as many micro-enterprises. 18 civil servants successfully completed training on the management and risks of irregular migration, 1,100 individual (and 13 collective) psycho-social support sessions were carried out, with 4 self-help groups.