From Usman A. Bello, Benin
The Country Director, International Returns and Reintegration Assistance (IRARA) Nigeria, Roland Nwoha, has disclosed that no fewer that 61 Nigerians migrants in Germany have benefited from its voluntary assisted return project under its Arrives Projet For Migrants.
Nwoha disclosed this yesterday in Benin during a stakeholder meeting with Non Governmental Organization, Civil Society Organisation and Networks, Religion leaders among others.
The ARRIVES Project, is funded by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), and jointly implemented by IRARA, the International Trade Centre (ITC), and Social Impact (SI).
He said the IRARA Arrives project assist Nigerians migrants stranded in Germany that voluntarily want to return to Nigeria to have a dignified return and reintegrated into the society
“Since the project started in Germany, we have supported and assisted 61 Nigerians migtants who decided to return home and reintegrated into the society”.
According to him, through this partnership with BAMF, IRARA support the sustainable reintegration of Nigerian returnees from Germany by promoting dignified livelihoods and economic self-reliance.
“But beyond funding and programming, ARRIVES is built on a simple but powerful principle that reintegration must be holistic, community-rooted, and dignity-driven.
“Under ARRIVES, returnees are supported through wage employment opportunities, entrepreneurship development, vocational pathways, and individualized coaching tailored to their unique circumstances”
According to him, IRARA ARRIVES recognize that every returnee has a different story, different skills, and different aspirations as as such reintegration therefore cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach.
He noted that most of the migrants are finding it difficult to return despite their ordeal in Europe because of family pressure who sometimes sell their property or borrowed to sponsor them to overseas awaiting returns.
“That is why Our Arrives project is is helping those willing to return get soft landing through Psycosocial support, economic support by giving them finance to start a business as well as social support.
On her pary, Choima Judith Eze, IRAA Project Manager, said
the event is designed to create awareness on the benefit of Arrives project so that Nigerians migrants in Germany that want to return can take the advantage of it.
She advised migrants who are strapped in Germany in different residency status that have not allow no them to continue living there that Arrive e project is there to support them.
One of the assisted returnees, Dominic Osegie, who spent 10 years in Germany, said he has benefited from the project and called on other migrants to take the advantage of the project to return and start a new life
