Almost Home: Young Women are Supported at the Migration Response Centre in Obock, Djibouti
Hanan is originally from Chamichawa, Ethiopia and has been staying at the Obock, Djibouti MRC for 2 months after returning from Yemen.
She left home to find employment as a domestic worker in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to earn enough money to send home. Hanan contacted a smuggler through one of the girls in the group, he promised them that a better life and opportunities to work was awaiting them in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As soon as they descended from the boat and arrived in Yemen, the smuggler left them with some food and water but no further information.
For one-month Hanan and the rest of group were abandoned in Yemen, with no work and nothing to do. Hanan returned to Djibouti from Yemen 2 months ago, she arrived at the Coast of Djibouti by boat and continued to Obock on foot.
Hanan shared: “I decided to go back home because when I arrived in Yemen, the smuggler lied that when I arrive in Yemen we will continue to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Reflecting on the entire journey, Hanan explained that her financial interactions with smugglers were much longer and more complicated than she expected. Hanan shared that from Ethiopia to Djibouti, then from the South of Djibouti to Obock in the North, they were guided by one smuggler. However, once they left the North Coast to go to Yemen, they used another smuggler who eventually abandoned them.
“I was not aware this would be so complicated with so many smugglers. If I knew I would not do it.”
Hanan found her way to the MRC in Obock, by word of mouth. Four men out of the group of eight continued walking, while 4 women out of the group decided to seek services at the MRC temporarily.
“I decided to stay here because I don’t have enough money to go home, otherwise if I continued with the men, another smuggler would demand more money to help us home.”
Findings from IOM Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) outlined that due to the deteriorating situation in Yemen for migrants and the challenges in moving onwards towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, many migrants opt to return to the Horn of Africa. In 2021, IOM tracked 10,547 spontaneous returns of Ethiopian migrants to Djibouti. In the first quarter of 2022 IOM Djibouti identified 1,831 spontaneous returnees marking an over 180% increase in returns in the first quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2021.
Hanan pictured with Hariri Ali Ahmed, IOM Protection Assistant with IOM Djibouti (Eva Sibanda/IOM)
Almost Home: Young Women are Supported at the Migration Response Centre in Obock, Djibouti
Hanan is originally from Chamichawa, Ethiopia and has been staying at the Obock, Djibouti MRC for 2 months after returning from Yemen.
She left home to find employment as a domestic worker in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to earn enough money to send home. Hanan contacted a smuggler through one of the girls in the group, he promised them that a better life and opportunities to work was awaiting them in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As soon as they descended from the boat and arrived in Yemen, the smuggler left them with some food and water but no further information.
For one-month Hanan and the rest of group were abandoned in Yemen, with no work and nothing to do. Hanan returned to Djibouti from Yemen 2 months ago, she arrived at the Coast of Djibouti by boat and continued to Obock on foot.
Hanan shared: “I decided to go back home because when I arrived in Yemen, the smuggler lied that when I arrive in Yemen we will continue to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Reflecting on the entire journey, Hanan explained that her financial interactions with smugglers were much longer and more complicated than she expected. Hanan shared that from Ethiopia to Djibouti, then from the South of Djibouti to Obock in the North, they were guided by one smuggler. However, once they left the North Coast to go to Yemen, they used another smuggler who eventually abandoned them.
“I was not aware this would be so complicated with so many smugglers. If I knew I would not do it.”
Hanan found her way to the MRC in Obock, by word of mouth. Four men out of the group of eight continued walking, while 4 women out of the group decided to seek services at the MRC temporarily.
“I decided to stay here because I don’t have enough money to go home, otherwise if I continued with the men, another smuggler would demand more money to help us home.”
Findings from IOM Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) outlined that due to the deteriorating situation in Yemen for migrants and the challenges in moving onwards towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, many migrants opt to return to the Horn of Africa. In 2021, IOM tracked 10,547 spontaneous returns of Ethiopian migrants to Djibouti. In the first quarter of 2022 IOM Djibouti identified 1,831 spontaneous returnees marking an over 180% increase in returns in the first quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2021.
Hanan pictured with Hariri Ali Ahmed, IOM Protection Assistant with IOM Djibouti (Eva Sibanda/IOM)
Almost Home: Young Women are Supported at the Migration Response Centre in Obock, Djibouti
Almost Home: Young Women are Supported at the Migration Response Centre in Obock, Djibouti
Hanan is originally from Chamichawa, Ethiopia and has been staying at the Obock, Djibouti MRC for 2 months after returning from Yemen.
She left home to find employment as a domestic worker in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to earn enough money to send home. Hanan contacted a smuggler through one of the girls in the group, he promised them that a better life and opportunities to work was awaiting them in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As soon as they descended from the boat and arrived in Yemen, the smuggler left them with some food and water but no further information.
For one-month Hanan and the rest of group were abandoned in Yemen, with no work and nothing to do. Hanan returned to Djibouti from Yemen 2 months ago, she arrived at the Coast of Djibouti by boat and continued to Obock on foot.
Hanan shared: “I decided to go back home because when I arrived in Yemen, the smuggler lied that when I arrive in Yemen we will continue to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Reflecting on the entire journey, Hanan explained that her financial interactions with smugglers were much longer and more complicated than she expected. Hanan shared that from Ethiopia to Djibouti, then from the South of Djibouti to Obock in the North, they were guided by one smuggler. However, once they left the North Coast to go to Yemen, they used another smuggler who eventually abandoned them.
“I was not aware this would be so complicated with so many smugglers. If I knew I would not do it.”
Hanan found her way to the MRC in Obock, by word of mouth. Four men out of the group of eight continued walking, while 4 women out of the group decided to seek services at the MRC temporarily.
“I decided to stay here because I don’t have enough money to go home, otherwise if I continued with the men, another smuggler would demand more money to help us home.”
Findings from IOM Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) outlined that due to the deteriorating situation in Yemen for migrants and the challenges in moving onwards towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, many migrants opt to return to the Horn of Africa. In 2021, IOM tracked 10,547 spontaneous returns of Ethiopian migrants to Djibouti. In the first quarter of 2022 IOM Djibouti identified 1,831 spontaneous returnees marking an over 180% increase in returns in the first quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2021.
Hanan pictured with Hariri Ali Ahmed, IOM Protection Assistant with IOM Djibouti (Eva Sibanda/IOM)