The Chance to Go Home Safely Gives New Hope to Young Migrants

Yemen - “Imagine leaving your hometown hoping to find a better life but instead turning back with nothing, not even your dignity,” said Aisha*, an Ethiopian migrant who left her family with her sights set on new opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

She is one of thousands of migrants who come every year to Yemen in search of a more flourishing life. Lured by smugglers and false hopes, many become easy targets of abuse, extortion and exploitation. As a result, many migrants end up losing their dignity having failed, not only to provide for themselves but also their families back home.
 

“They told me the route to Saudi Arabia would be easy, but when I arrived in Yemen, I saw how difficult it is to go there and I found out that the boarders were closed,” explained Aisha.

“This journey is difficult for everyone, but it is horrifying for women because we are sometimes violated, harassed and even unwillingly impregnated.”

For five months, Aisha tried to make it to her destination, but she had no way of earning a living and could not provide for herself. She stayed with a friend from her village who gave her food, drinks and a place to stay while she waited for her chance to cross the border.

“My life here in Yemen has not been good, I’ve suffered a lot. I was sleeping at a friend’s house but there was not enough food for all of us, and I could not rely on them to host me any longer,” added Aisha.

“Then I talked to some of the migrants who returned from the border. They warned us about the horrible destiny that awaits those who try to cross,” she said.

After hearing stories of migrants being injured or killed on their journeys, Aisha decided not to continue her journey.

Eighteen-year-old Ibrahim also took the same journey from Ethiopia to Yemen.

“My friends encouraged me to take this trip. I didn’t tell my parents because I knew they would stop me from going,” explained Ibrahim.

Filled with excitement and a yearning for adventure, young Ibrahim traveled with five other friends to Yemen, but they were soon held by smugglers and asked for ransom.

“I had to call my parents and ask them to send me money to give to the smugglers,” he added.

Like Aisha, Ibrahim met migrants in the north of Yemen who were suffering tremendously after getting caught up in violence. He turned around with the hope he could make it back home.

The young man relied on hitchhiking to get back to the urban centre of Aden, but on one of the rides he fell out of the car and badly broke his leg.

“My friends took me to the hospital, and I spent more than four months there without any help or money. I called my family and they sold everything we had back home to help me pay for medical treatment,” recalled Ibrahim.

Determined to make their way home, both Ibrahim and Aisha came to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to seek assistance.

After enduring much hardship, they have now both travelled back to their home country on IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flights from Aden to Addis Ababa.

“I am happy that I am going home safely and that I do not have to continue on the terrible journey across the sea to reach my home,” said Aisha, as she waited for her flight to depart at the IOM departure centre in Aden.

More than 30,000 people have crossed from the Horn of Africa to war-torn Yemen thus far in 2022. Thousands have become stranded and are experiencing inhumane treatment on their journey, including arbitrary detention, forced transfers and torture.

IOM provides health care, emergency food and water, shelter, protection services and cash for work activities to alleviate their suffering.

The Organization’s lifesaving VHR programme provides migrants who wish to return with food, temporary accommodation, medical assistance, counselling, documentation and transportation.

“What I have lived through and the stories I heard here will live in my memory. I will tell the stories I witnessed to my family and people in Ethiopia to teach them the reality of this journey,” said Aisha.

“There are many people who are waiting for a similar chance to return. I hope they can go home soon too,” said Ibrahim, adding that he will advise other young people to avoid taking the same perilous journey.

He now hopes to fully heal his leg and continue his education when he gets home.

IOM’s work offering lifesaving health care and protection assistance to migrants is supported by the governments of Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and EU Humanitarian Aid.

The Organization has so far assisted more than 1000 migrants to embark on VHR flights in 2022 but requires greater funding to help thousands more who are waiting for opportunities to return home in safety and dignity.

*Name changed for protection purposes