Returnee migrant workers share reintegration plight
Kathmandu, Dec 18: From the homeland to the destination countries, Nepali migrant workers face several hurdles. Even those returning from foreign jobs share harrowing stories- the struggles to get reintegrated at home and society, and woeful moments experienced at workplaces abroad.
All returnee migrants are not faring well, for many of them face significant social and financial constraints at home in addition to bearing huge struggles and stress already from the jobs overseas. It evidently results in increasing obstruction to reintegration.
The returnee migrant workers who are financially better positioned also find themselves at a loss with longtime detachment from family and little information to forward any entrepreneurship or utilize the skills gained abroad. In case of emotional weakness, it can be further disturbing to live a normal life. However, once the assistance is extended on time, the needy ones are led to recovery.
It was reflected during a programme organized by the Foreign Employment Board on the occasion of the International Migrants Day in the federal capital on Thursday. In the programme organized at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security in Singh Durbar, two returnee migrants shared the blend of anguish and happiness- the worry over difficulty in reintegration and the recovery from it after receiving support.
A woman aged 40 shared in the event that she found herself psychologically feeble while trying to reintegrate at home and society after her return in 10 years from Kuwait. "I nearly got depression, facing family issues due to a long separation from home- all because of foreign job. But, I was able to recover from the worsening situation after getting counseled by a social mobilizer from ReMi (Reintegration of Migrant Workers) project," shared Shakuntala Adhikari from Sunsari district, Koshi Province.
She also informed that she has recently begun a small business for income. She got support from ReMi to initiate the business- panipuri and chatpate at her locality- Ramdhuni municipality-1 of Sunsari district. "The psychosocial counseling empowered me to live a dignified life," she recounted.
Another returnee migrant aged 57 was from Laxminiya rural municipality-1 of Dhanusha district, Madhes Province. Nandu Yadav spent 18 years in overseas job. His story was slightly different from the returnee woman, but he too found himself at a loss after returning home in nearly two decades' gap.
"I was in sheer confusion how to begin my life and put my plan of entrepreneurship in action after I returned home with money from Qatar. I don't want to go back again to foreign country, seeking job, but devote to expand my business," he shared at the programme attended by Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rajendra Singh Bhandari.
Yadav further explained he was not aware where to go and how to approach different offices. "I was in a desperate need to even give a shape to my plan after home return. As I got suggestions from a social mobilizer of ReMi, my plan is now realized: I have an agricultural and livestock farm. I am raising cattle and running a poultry farm and giving employment to two persons," he said, adding that he was giving jobs to two more persons at his farm. The training he got from ReMi project was beneficial for him to forward his business scheme.
On the occasion, Minister Bhandari underscored the need for investing more on returnee migrant workers like Yadav and Adhikari rather than showing data on management of dead bodies of those losing lives during foreign jobs. He underscored the need of breaking the nexus of those involved in frauds and trafficking in the name of foreign employment. "Let's work in the spirit of the Gen Z movement to ensure good governance in migration sector as well," he called.
Representatives from international organizations, including Country Director of International Labour Organization in Nepal, Numan Ozcan, and Programme Manager at Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC), Antonia Fluck, vowed continued assistance to Nepal government on safe migration and rights of migrant workers.
ReMi Project, a bilateral intervention of governments of Nepal and Switzerland, is enforced by the Ministry in Koshi and Madhesh Province, incorporating 20 local governments. It is funded by the SDC, while Helvetas Nepal is providing technical assistance. The Minister also released a Labour Migration Report, 2024 during the programme.
